borough
A borough is an administrative division in various English language, English-speaking countries. In principle, the term ''borough'' designates a self-governing walled town, although in practice, official use of the term varies widely.
History
...
in
Bergen County
Bergen County is the List of counties in New Jersey, most populous County (United States), county in the U.S. state of New Jersey.U.S. state
In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its so ...
of
New Jersey
New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...
. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 6,128, an increase of 398 (+6.9%) from the 2010 census count of 5,730, which in turn reflected a decline of 15 (−0.3%) from the 5,745 counted in the 2000 census. Most of the borough mandates a minimum lot size of for single-family homes, with portions on the borough's east zoned for and portions of the borough's northwest and southwest zoned for lots.
Woodcliff Lake is also the name of the
reservoir
A reservoir (; ) is an enlarged lake behind a dam, usually built to water storage, store fresh water, often doubling for hydroelectric power generation.
Reservoirs are created by controlling a watercourse that drains an existing body of wa ...
that lies predominantly within the borough, with a small portion at the southeastern edge located in neighboring Hillsdale.
History
The borough was originally incorporated as the Borough of Woodcliff, on August 31, 1894, from parts of Orvil Township and Washington Township, based on the results of a referendum held three days earlier.Snyder, John P ''The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968'' Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 88. Accessed May 30, 2024. The borough was formed during the "
Boroughitis
Boroughitis (also borough fever or borough mania) was the creation in the 1890s, usually by referendum, of large numbers of small boroughs in the U.S. state of New Jersey, particularly in Bergen County. Attempts by the New Jersey Legislature to ...
" phenomenon then sweeping through Bergen County, in which 26 boroughs were formed in the county in 1894 alone. The borough derives its name from the characteristics of its geography.
On March 1, 1910, after the creation of the reservoir, the name of the borough was changed to Woodcliff Lake, to match the name of the post office. Prior to the creation of ZIP Codes as a way to uniquely identify addresses,
United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or simply the Postal Service, is an independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the executive branch of the federal governmen ...
policy was that two post offices in a state could not have the same name, and there was already a "Woodcliff" in
Hudson County
Hudson County is a List of counties in New Jersey, county in the U.S. state of New Jersey, its smallest and most densely populated. Lying in the northeast of the state and on the west bank of the North River (Hudson River), Hudson River, the No ...
. On January 1, 1956, and again on July 1, 1958, Woodcliff Lake exchanged sections of land with Park Ridge. On October 13, 1960, portions were exchanged with Hillsdale.
Woodcliff Lake has many historic houses and buildings, some dating from the 18th century. Many old buildings are also present, but are likely to have been modified through the years. The borough has seen intense development over the past 50 years, as virtually all areas available for construction have been developed.
Geography
According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
, the borough had a total area of 3.55 square miles (9.19 km2), including 3.38 square miles (8.74 km2) of land and 0.17 square miles (0.45 km2) of water (4.85%).
The borough is bordered by the Bergen County municipalities of Hillsdale, Montvale, Park Ridge, River Vale, Saddle River, and small portions of
Upper Saddle River
Upper Saddle River is a borough in Bergen County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 8,353, an increase of 145 (+1.8%) from the 2010 census count of 8,208, which in turn reflected ...
. Woodcliff Lake is located approximately northwest of
Manhattan
Manhattan ( ) is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City. Coextensive with New York County, Manhattan is the County statistics of the United States#Smallest, larg ...
.
Demographics
2010 census
The 2010 United States census counted 5,730 people, 1,916 households, and 1,600 families in the borough. The
population density
Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...
was . There were 1,980 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup was 90.30% (5,174)
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...
, 1.20% (69) from other races, and 1.20% (69) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.41% (310) of the population.
Of the 1,916 households, 42.3% had children under the age of 18; 75.4% were married couples living together; 6.5% had a female householder with no husband present and 16.5% were non-families. Of all households, 15.0% were made up of individuals and 10.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.94 and the average family size was 3.28.
27.9% of the population were under the age of 18, 5.3% from 18 to 24, 17.1% from 25 to 44, 33.3% from 45 to 64, and 16.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44.8 years. For every 100 females, the population had 91.4 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 89.0 males.
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010
American Community Survey
The American Community Survey (ACS) is an annual demographics survey program conducted by the United States Census Bureau. It regularly gathers information previously contained only in the long form of the United States census, decennial census ...
median household income
The median income is the income amount that divides a population into two groups, half having an income above that amount, and half having an income below that amount. It may differ from the mean (or average) income. Both of these are ways of und ...
was $150,404 (with a margin of error of +/− $25,298) and the median family income was $172,019 (+/− $32,763). Males had a median income of $105,045 (+/− $11,151) versus $65,119 (+/− $22,660) for females. The
per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year.
In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...
for the borough was $62,925 (+/− $7,887). About 1.1% of families and 1.8% of the population were below the
poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...
, including 1.5% of those under age 18 and 1.9% of those age 65 or over.
Same-sex couples
A same-sex relationship is a romantic or sexual relationship between people of the same sex. ''Same-sex marriage'' refers to the institutionalized recognition of such relationships in the form of a marriage; civil unions may exist in countries ...
headed five households in 2010, an increase from the one household counted in 2000.
2000 census
As of the 2000 United States census, there were 5,745 people, 1,824 households, and 1,605 families residing in the borough. The population density was . There were 1,842 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the borough was 93.84%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 0.87%
African American
African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 0.03% Native American, 4.47% Asian, 0.19% from other races, and 0.59% from two or more races. 2.33% of the population were
Hispanic
The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
. Accessed March 4, 2013.
There were 1,824 households, out of which 47.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 80.2% were married couples living together, 6.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 12.0% were non-families. 10.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.08 and the average family size was 3.31.
In the borough the population was spread out, with 29.9% under the age of 18, 4.5% from 18 to 24, 24.4% from 25 to 44, 27.8% from 45 to 64, and 13.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.1 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $123,022, and the median income for a family was $133,925. Males had a median income of $90,000 versus $45,150 for females. The
per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year.
In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...
for the borough was $53,461. 1.5% of the population and 0.9% of families were below the
poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...
. Out of the total population, 1.4% of those under the age of 18 and 2.3% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.
Economy
The borough was the world headquarters of Ingersoll Rand until the company moved in 2004, after which its property was taken over by the North American headquarters of
BMW
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, trading as BMW Group (commonly abbreviated to BMW (), sometimes anglicised as Bavarian Motor Works), is a German multinational manufacturer of vehicles and motorcycles headquartered in Munich, Bavaria, Germany. Th ...
. The borough is also the corporate headquarters of Perillo Tours, which consists of an elaborate Italian revival where
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913April 22, 1994) was the 37th president of the United States, serving from 1969 until Resignation of Richard Nixon, his resignation in 1974. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican ...
had an office after his presidency.
Tice's Corner Marketplace is a strip mall located on the site of the original Tice's Farms that features more than 20 stores. Due to Bergen County's blue laws, all the retail stores are closed on Sundays, but two of its restaurants are open.
Arts and culture
The Tri-Boro area consisting of Woodcliff Lake, Park Ridge, and Montvale all participate in an annual Memorial Day Parade.
The musical group The Front Bottoms was formed by Woodcliff Lake residents Brian Sella (lead vocalist) and Mathew Uychich (drums).
Parks and recreation
Wood Dale County Park is a Bergen County park covering located on Prospect Avenue. It has a playground, a dog park, walking path, tennis courts, athletic fields, picnic areas and a lake for fishing and model boating.
Old Mill Pool is a public pool complex located on Werimus Road. It has a pool, water slide, playground and a picnic area.
Government
Local government
Woodcliff Lake is governed under the
borough
A borough is an administrative division in various English language, English-speaking countries. In principle, the term ''borough'' designates a self-governing walled town, although in practice, official use of the term varies widely.
History
...
form of New Jersey municipal government, which is used in 218 municipalities (of the 564) statewide, making it the most common form of government in New Jersey. The governing body is comprised of a mayor and a borough council, with all positions elected
at-large
At large (''before a noun'': at-large) is a description for members of a governing body who are elected or appointed to represent a whole membership or population (notably a city, county, state, province, nation, club or association), rather tha ...
on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. A mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The borough council includes six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year in a three-year cycle.''2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book'',
Rutgers University
Rutgers University ( ), officially Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a Public university, public land-grant research university consisting of three campuses in New Jersey. Chartered in 1766, Rutgers was originally called Queen's C ...
Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, March 2013, p. 165. The borough form of government used by Woodcliff Lake is a " weak mayor / strong council" government in which council members act as the legislative body with the mayor presiding at meetings and voting only in the event of a tie. The mayor can
veto
A veto is a legal power to unilaterally stop an official action. In the most typical case, a president (government title), president or monarch vetoes a bill (law), bill to stop it from becoming statutory law, law. In many countries, veto powe ...
ordinances subject to an override by a two-thirds majority vote of the council. The mayor makes committee and liaison assignments for council members, and most appointments are made by the mayor with the advice and consent of the council.
, the
mayor
In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a Municipal corporation, municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilitie ...
of Woodcliff Lake is RepublicanCarlos Rendo, whose term of office ends December 31, 2027. Members of the Borough Council are Council President Benjamin Pollack, (D, 2025), Julie Brodsky (R, 2026), Jacqueline M. Gadaleta (D, 2024), Jennifer Margolis ( D, 2024), Nicole Marsh (D, 2025), and Joshua Stern (R, 2026).Mayor & Council Borough of Woodcliff Lake. Accessed March 17, 2023. "The Borough of Woodcliff Lake was chartered in 1894 as a Borough Council form of government in which the Mayor is elected to a four-year term and six council members are elected at large to serve staggered three-year terms."''2024 County and Municipal Directory''
Bergen County, New Jersey
Bergen County is the List of counties in New Jersey, most populous County (United States), county in the U.S. state of New Jersey.
New Jersey Redistricting Commission
The New Jersey Redistricting Commission is a constitutional body of the government of New Jersey tasked with redrawing the state's Congressional election districts after each decade's census. Like Arizona, Idaho, Hawaii, Montana, and Washington ...
New Jersey Department of State
The secretary of state of New Jersey oversees the Department of State, which is one of the original state offices. The Secretary is responsible for overseeing New Jersey State Council on the Arts, artistic, cultural, and New Jersey Historical Com ...
League of Women Voters
The League of Women Voters (LWV) is a nonpartisan American nonprofit political organization. Founded in 1920, its ongoing major activities include Voter registration, registering voters, providing voter information, boosting voter turnout and adv ...
. Accessed October 30, 2019.
Politics
As of March 2011, there were a total of 4,209 registered voters in Woodcliff Lake, of which 1,119 (26.6% vs. 31.7% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 1,024 (24.3% vs. 21.1%) were registered as Republicans and 2,065 (49.1% vs. 47.1%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There was one voter registered to other parties.Voter Registration Summary - Bergen
New Jersey Department of State
The secretary of state of New Jersey oversees the Department of State, which is one of the original state offices. The Secretary is responsible for overseeing New Jersey State Council on the Arts, artistic, cultural, and New Jersey Historical Com ...
Division of Elections, March 23, 2011. Accessed December 23, 2013. Among the borough's 2010 Census population, 73.5% (vs. 57.1% in Bergen County) were registered to vote, including 101.9% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 73.7% countywide; meaning that there were more registered voters as of the date accessed than those of legal voting age, which can happen when registered voters move out of the borough but aren't removed from the voter rolls).
In the 2020 presidential election, Democrat Joe Biden received 2,323 votes (57.7% vs 57.44% countywide), ahead of Republican Donald Trump with 1,626 votes (40.45% vs 41.06%). In the 2016 presidential election, Democrat
Hillary Clinton
Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, lawyer and diplomat. She was the 67th United States secretary of state in the administration of Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, a U.S. senator represent ...
received 1,804 votes (52.5% vs. 54.2% countywide), ahead of Republican
Donald Trump
Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he served as the 45 ...
with 1,489 votes (43.3% vs. 41.1%) and other candidates with 142 votes (4.1% vs. 4.6%), among the 3,503 ballots cast by the borough's 4,741 registered voters, for a turnout of 73.9% (vs. 72.5% in Bergen County). In the 2012 presidential election, Republican
Mitt Romney
Willard Mitt Romney (born March 12, 1947) is an American businessman and retired politician. He served as a United States Senate, United States senator from Utah from 2019 to 2025 and as the 70th governor of Massachusetts from 2003 to 2007 ...
received 1,792 votes (56.1% vs. 43.5% countywide), ahead of Democrat
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. O ...
with 1,374 votes (43.0% vs. 54.8%) and other candidates with 20 votes (0.6% vs. 0.9%), among the 3,197 ballots cast by the borough's 4,475 registered voters, for a turnout of 71.4% (vs. 70.4% in Bergen County). In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. O ...
received 1,696 votes (49.9% vs. 53.9% countywide), ahead of Republican
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III (August 29, 1936 – August 25, 2018) was an American statesman and United States Navy, naval officer who represented the Arizona, state of Arizona in United States Congress, Congress for over 35 years, first as ...
with 1,646 votes (48.5% vs. 44.5%) and other candidates with 23 votes (0.7% vs. 0.8%), among the 3,396 ballots cast by the borough's 4,305 registered voters, for a turnout of 78.9% (vs. 76.8% in Bergen County).2008 General Election Results for Woodcliff Lake ''
The Record
The Record may refer to:
Music
* The Record (Fear album), ''The Record'' (Fear album), a 1982 studio album by the hardcore-punk band Fear
* The Record (Boygenius album), ''The Record'' (Boygenius album), a 2023 studio album by the indie rock supe ...
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician and businessman who was the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Bush family and the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he i ...
received 1,656 votes (49.7% vs. 47.2% countywide), ahead of Democrat
John Kerry
John Forbes Kerry (born December 11, 1943) is an American attorney, politician, and diplomat who served as the 68th United States secretary of state from 2013 to 2017 in the Presidency of Barack Obama#Administration, administration of Barac ...
with 1,638 votes (49.2% vs. 51.7%) and other candidates with 24 votes (0.7% vs. 0.7%), among the 3,329 ballots cast by the borough's 4,108 registered voters, for a turnout of 81.0% (vs. 76.9% in the whole county).
In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican
Chris Christie
Christopher James Christie (born September 6, 1962) is an American politician and former United States Attorney, federal prosecutor who served as the 55th governor of New Jersey from 2010 to 2018. A member of the Republican Party (United States) ...
received 73.1% of the vote (1,603 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 25.8% (567 votes), and other candidates with 1.1% (24 votes), among the 2,258 ballots cast by the borough's 4,333 registered voters (64 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 52.1%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican
Chris Christie
Christopher James Christie (born September 6, 1962) is an American politician and former United States Attorney, federal prosecutor who served as the 55th governor of New Jersey from 2010 to 2018. A member of the Republican Party (United States) ...
received 1,362 votes (48.1% vs. 45.8% countywide), ahead of Democrat
Jon Corzine
Jon Stevens Corzine ( ; born January 1, 1947) is an American financial executive and retired politician who served as a United States Senator from New Jersey from 2001 to 2006, and the 54th governor of New Jersey from 2006 to 2010. Corzine ran f ...
with 1,257 votes (44.4% vs. 48.0%), Independent Chris Daggett with 160 votes (5.7% vs. 4.7%) and other candidates with 20 votes (0.7% vs. 0.5%), among the 2,831 ballots cast by the borough's 4,902 registered voters, yielding a 57.8% turnout (vs. 50.0% in the county).
Emergency services
Fire
Woodcliff Lake is served by a volunteer fire department that was established in 1932 after residents became dissatisfied with fire protection paid for through Park Ridge. The WLFD consists of a chief, a deputy chief, two captains and three lieutenants in addition to the 30+ members. Woodcliff Lake Fire Department operates Squad 7, Squad 72, Truck 75 'The Triboro Truck', Rescue 76, Marine 7 and Marine 7A out of the fire house on Pascack Road. The chiefs are assigned cars numbered after their radio designations Chief 7 and Deputy 7. WLFD is part of Bergen County Fire Battalion 8, is responsible for fire suppression and rescue services on the stretch of the Garden State Parkway that passes through the Borough (mile markers 168.4-170.6) and dispatching is contracted to Ridgewood, New Jersey based Northwest Bergen Central Dispatch (NWBCD).
Ambulance
Together with Park Ridge and Montvale, Woodcliff Lake is one of the three municipalities that is part of the Tri-Boro Volunteer Ambulance Corps, founded in 1938 and provides EMS service to these three communities. Tri-Boro is a non-profit and full volunteer group which provides free emergency service to those in the community who need it at any time. The headquarters is located in Park Ridge near Mill Pond.
Police
Woodcliff Lake's police department, located next to borough hall and the fire department, was founded in 1954.
pre-kindergarten
Pre-kindergarten (also called pre-K or PK) is a voluntary classroom-based preschool program for children below the age of five in the United States, Canada, Turkey and Greece (when kindergarten starts). It may be delivered through a preschool ...
through eighth grade. As of the 2023–24 school year, the district, comprised of two schools, had an enrollment of 780 students and 73.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a
student–teacher ratio
The student–teacher ratio or student–faculty ratio refers to the number of students who attend a school or university divided by the number of teachers or staff in the institution. For example, a student–teacher ratio of 10:1 indicates that ...
National Center for Education Statistics
The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is the principal federal agency responsible for collecting, analyzing, and reporting data on education in the United States. Established under , it operates within the Institute of Education S ...
. Accessed December 15, 2024. The schools in the district (with 2023–24 enrollment data from the
National Center for Education Statistics
The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is the principal federal agency responsible for collecting, analyzing, and reporting data on education in the United States. Established under , it operates within the Institute of Education S ...
) are
Dorchester Elementary School with 508 students in grades Pre-K through 5 and
Woodcliff Middle School which had 265 students in grades 6–8.
For
ninth
In music, a ninth is a compound interval consisting of an octave plus a second.
Like the second, the interval of a ninth is classified as a dissonance in common practice tonality. Since a ninth is an octave larger than a second, its ...
through
twelfth grade
Twelfth Grade (also known as Grade 12, Senior Year, Standard 12, 12th Standard, 12th Class, or Class 12th or Class 12) is the twelfth and final Educational stage, year of Formal education, formal or compulsory education. It is typically the final ...
Pascack Valley High School
Pascack Valley High School (PVHS) is a four-year comprehensive high school, comprehensive regional state school, public Secondary education in the United States, high school located in Hillsdale, New Jersey, Hillsdale in Bergen County, New Jerse ...
.About Our District Information Woodcliff Lake Public Schools. Accessed February 21, 2025. "Welcome to our close-knit residential community, nestled in the charming Borough of Woodcliff Lake, located in the heart of Bergen County, New Jersey. The Woodcliff Lake School District provides educational services from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade.... As students advance to high school, they continue their academic journey at the prestigious Pascack Hills High School, a cornerstone of our community." As of the 2023–24 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 955 students and 93.8 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a
student–teacher ratio
The student–teacher ratio or student–faculty ratio refers to the number of students who attend a school or university divided by the number of teachers or staff in the institution. For example, a student–teacher ratio of 10:1 indicates that ...
of 10.2:1. The mayor and council of Woodcliff Lake have passed resolutions supporting the withdrawal of the borough from the Pascack Valley Regional High School District, noting that the community contributes 28% of the district's spending, while accounting for 19% of the students attending the district's schools. Both Montvale and Woodcliff Lake, with substantial commercial property tax ratables, have a cost per student substantially higher than that paid by the other two communities, with Woodcliff Lake's cost of $28,521 nearly double the $14,840 paid by Hillsdale (on a per student basis).
Public school students from the borough, and all of Bergen County, are eligible to attend the secondary education programs offered by the Bergen County Technical Schools, which include the
Bergen County Academies
Bergen County Academies (BCA) is a tuition-free public magnet high school located in Hackensack, New Jersey, that serves students in the ninth through twelfth grades from all of Bergen County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The school was fo ...
in Hackensack, and the Bergen Tech campus in Teterboro or Paramus. The district offers programs on a shared-time or full-time basis, with admission based on a selective application process and tuition covered by the student's home school district.
Transportation
Roads and highways
, the borough had a total of of roadways, of which were maintained by the municipality, by Bergen County and by the
New Jersey Turnpike Authority
The New Jersey Turnpike Authority (NJTA) is a state agency responsible for maintaining the New Jersey Turnpike and the Garden State Parkway, which are two toll roads in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The agency is headquartered in Woodbridge Town ...
.
The
Garden State Parkway
The Garden State Parkway (GSP) is a Controlled-access highway, controlled-access toll road that stretches the north–south length of eastern New Jersey from the state's southernmost tip near Cape May, New Jersey, Cape May north to the New York ...
and County Route 503 pass through Woodcliff Lake.
The Garden State Parkway may be entered, southbound, or exited from, northbound, at exit 171. Due to the fact that not all movements are possible at that exit, exits 168 in Washington Township and 172 in Montvale are also used to access the borough.
Public transportation
Woodcliff Lake is served by
NJ Transit
New Jersey Transit Corporation, branded as NJ Transit or NJTransit and often shortened to NJT, is a state-owned public transportation system that serves the U.S. state of New Jersey and portions of the states of New York and Pennsylvania. I ...
Hoboken Terminal
Hoboken Terminal is a commuter-oriented intermodal passenger station in Hoboken, Hudson County, New Jersey. One of the New York metropolitan area's major transportation hubs, it is served by eight NJ Transit (NJT) commuter rail lines, an NJ T ...
with connections via the
Secaucus Junction
Secaucus Junction (signed as Secaucus) is an intermodal transit hub served by New Jersey Transit Rail Operations, New Jersey Transit (NJ Transit) and Metro-North Railroad in Secaucus, New Jersey, Secaucus, New Jersey. It is one of the List of b ...
transfer station to New Jersey Transit one-stop service to
New York Penn Station
Pennsylvania Station (also known as New York Penn Station or simply Penn Station) is the main intercity railroad station in New York City and the busiest transportation facility in the Western Hemisphere, serving more than 600,000 passengers ...
and to other NJ Transit rail service. Connections are available at the
Hoboken Terminal
Hoboken Terminal is a commuter-oriented intermodal passenger station in Hoboken, Hudson County, New Jersey. One of the New York metropolitan area's major transportation hubs, it is served by eight NJ Transit (NJT) commuter rail lines, an NJ T ...
to other New Jersey Transit rail lines, the
PATH
A path is a route for physical travel – see Trail.
Path or PATH may also refer to:
Physical paths of different types
* Bicycle path
* Bridle path, used by people on horseback
* Course (navigation), the intended path of a vehicle
* Desir ...
Port Authority Bus Terminal
The Port Authority Bus Terminal (colloquially known as the Port Authority and by its acronym PABT) is a bus station, bus terminal located in Manhattan in New York City. It is the busiest bus terminal in the world by volume of traffic, serving ab ...
in
Midtown Manhattan
Midtown Manhattan is the central portion of the New York City borough of Manhattan, serving as the city's primary central business district. Midtown is home to some of the city's most prominent buildings, including the Empire State Building, the ...
on routes 11 and 47/49.
Community
Tice Farms was a farm and roadside stand in Woodcliff Lake. Founded in 1808, it was a local landmark which attracted families from miles around, especially in the fall, when it was noted for pumpkins, apple cider, freshly baked donuts, and other fall products. Many people would make the drive to the area from New York City, causing massive traffic jams on autumn weekends. Beginning in the 1970s, the farm was increasingly squeezed by local land development, and Richard Tice, the head of the family, repeatedly sold land to accommodate development.
BMW
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, trading as BMW Group (commonly abbreviated to BMW (), sometimes anglicised as Bavarian Motor Works), is a German multinational manufacturer of vehicles and motorcycles headquartered in Munich, Bavaria, Germany. Th ...
's North American headquarters are located on Chestnut Ridge Road, and is built, and currently being expanded on land once owned by the Tice family. The company is the town's predominant landowner. Tice Farms is now Tice's Corner, an upscale strip mall.
Van Riper's Farm, formerly located approximately across the street from Tice's, was founded in the late 18th century and known for its apple cider and annual turkey shoot. It was closed to make way for an A&P supermarket, which was known as the company's trademark store. The store was acquired by Acme Markets in 2015 and finally closed in 2019.
A small reminder of Woodcliff Lake's rural history is Fusco's Market, located on the corner of Werimus and Saddle River Roads. There are still a few small private farms operated in the borough, including of land assessed as farmland for property tax purposes in 2012. One of note is the Woodcliff Acres Horse Farm located on Woodcliff Avenue in between Pascack Road and Weirumus Road, which has been a continually operating horse farm for over 50 years. Nearby is the Old Mill Pond, which was established as the town's swimming pool around 1950 when the borough acquired the small, nearly silted-up mill pond near the headwaters of the Musquapsink Brook. Old Mill Pond has been renovated to include a partial sand beach along with a water slide, two diving boards, swimming lanes, and other water activities for kids.Good, Philip "If You're Thinking of Living in: Woodcliff Lake" ''
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'', September 4, 1988. Accessed November 25, 2013.
Woodcliff Lake lacks its own public library; however, it offers its residents reimbursement if they pay for a library membership from a neighboring municipality with its own library.
The borough was originally assigned the ZIP Code 07680. As part of post office consolidation in the early 1970s, it lost its postmaster (though not its post office) and was designated a branch of the Westwood post office, sharing the ZIP code 07675. Following longtime public protest, it regained its own ZIP code, 07677, as of July 2000.
Notable people
People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Woodcliff Lake include:
* Jack Antonoff (born 1984), singer, musician, songwriter and record producer known for his work with the bands Fun and
Bleachers
Bleachers (North American English), or stands, are raised, tiered rows of benches found at sports-fields and at other spectator events. Stairways provide access to the horizontal rows of seats, often with every other step enabling access to a ...
*
Bruce Beresford-Redman
Bruce Beresford-Redman (born April 20, 1971) is an American television producer known for his role in ''Pimp My Ride'' and ''Survivor (American TV series), Survivor''. In 2015, he was convicted in Mexico of the murder of his wife, Mônica.
Early ...
(born 1971), co-creator and executive producer of
MTV
MTV (an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable television television channel, channel and the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group sub-division of the Paramount Media Networks division of Paramount Global. Launched on ...
's ''
Pimp My Ride
''Pimp My Ride'' is a staged American television series produced by MTV and hosted by rapper Xzibit, which ran for six seasons on MTV from 2004 to 2007. In each episode, a car in poor condition is both restored and customized. The work on th ...
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'', June 26, 2005. Accessed June 12, 2012. "MTV's popular (and radical) car makeover show, which is just starting its second full season, was created by two Woodcliff Lake natives who never got over the culture of the high school parking lot. In 1989, Beresford-Redman drove a Cadillac hearse, while his buddy Rick Hurvitz piloted a 1972 lime-green Oldsmobile Delta 88. 'As far as we know, everybody appreciated the irony,' Beresford-Redman said of his Pascack Hills classmates in a recent e-mail exchange."
* Mark Denbeaux (born 1943), law professor at Seton Hall University School of Law and the director of its Center for Policy and Research
* Jon Doscher (born 1971), film producer, actor, director and writer
* Steven M. Goldman, Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance from 2006 to 2009
* Kerri Green (born 1967), actress who appeared in '' The Goonies''
* Rick Hurvitz, co-creator and executive producer of
MTV
MTV (an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable television television channel, channel and the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group sub-division of the Paramount Media Networks division of Paramount Global. Launched on ...
's ''
Pimp My Ride
''Pimp My Ride'' is a staged American television series produced by MTV and hosted by rapper Xzibit, which ran for six seasons on MTV from 2004 to 2007. In each episode, a car in poor condition is both restored and customized. The work on th ...
''
* Andrew Kissel (1959–2006), real estate developer who was found murdered at his rented
Greenwich, Connecticut
Greenwich ( ) is a New England town, town in southwestern Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it had a population of 63,518. It is the largest town on Gold Coast (Connecticut), Connectic ...
, estate
* Joe Oriolo (1913–1985), producer of the
Felix the Cat
Felix the Cat is a cartoon character created in 1919 by Otto Messmer and Pat Sullivan (film producer), Pat Sullivan during the silent film era. An anthropomorphism, anthropomorphic young black cat with white eyes, a black body, and a giant grin, ...
cartoons made in the 1960s, and co-creator of
Casper the Friendly Ghost
Casper the Friendly Ghost is a fictional character who serves as the protagonist of the Famous Studios theatrical animated cartoon series of the same name. He is a translucent ghost who is pleasant and personable, but often criticized by his thr ...
New Jersey's 6th congressional district
New Jersey's 6th congressional district is represented by Democratic Party (United States), Democrat Frank Pallone, who has served the district in Congress since 1993. The district includes the northern and eastern portions of Middlesex County, ...
from 1921 to 1936
* Gene Perla (born 1940), jazz bassist