Hometown of The Sopranos Star James Gandolfini
Facts on Park Ridge, NJ, from a resident
In a recent conversation with my friend, she mistook The Sopranos for being set entirely in New York. My inner New Jerseyian came out as I corrected her: “It’s actually based in New Jersey. James Gandolfini went to my high school, you know.”
Famous names
I grew up in Park Ridge, NJ, just like Gandolfini, but haven’t watched a lick of the show. All I know is that there’s a plaque in my old high school dedicated to him and an intersection called “.” Other than that, I don’t know much about the guy. But I know a good deal about my hometown.
Another famous name, Richard Nixon, also ended up in Park Ridge. He lived in a gated community after his presidency, something my old history teacher used to always remind us of, called the .
Location
Park Ridge is a small town. With only , it contains a few chain restaurants, about five bagel shops, at least two large apartment complexes, two elementary schools, three pizzerias, and one Dunkin’ Donuts around the corner from my house. Even still, it continues to draw many families because of the school system, safety, and train station.
Many of my high school friends characterized it as living in a “bubble.” I disagree. If you only stay within the limits of the town, then sure, but none of us did that. One of the most diverse, unique cities in the United States is in our backyard: New York City. We could break out of that bubble with only a train or car ride. Plus, the famous Jersey shore was only a forty-five-minute drive.
Tax Bracket
According to the , the median household income in Park Ridge is $168,269, which you could tell just by living there. The side streets got plowed when snow hit, police dutifully patrolled the streets, and most of the block hired people to mow their lawn.
Other telling factors include my classmate who received a red convertible for her 16th birthday, the west side of town dappled with McMansions, and working with my dad, both a CFO and a CCO, who pays for all our amenities.
My friends are down-to-earth people. Not everyone got red convertibles, but most of us still got cars. We were able to have pocket change if we asked. Only a select few ascended the middle class in our town.
Overall
While you can search for facts about Park Ridge, you’ll never get the full experience unless you become a resident (or ask someone like me). I’ve worked as a camp counselor, tanned at the town pool, studied at Park Ridge High School, and explored the backroads when I first got my driver’s license. Park Ridge holds a special place in my heart because it’s my hometown, and I’m proud to say I’m a resident.
I don’t know if Gandolfini enjoyed the same things I did. Maybe he got pizza and bagels, the most New Jersey thing to do, from the same places I did. I do know he of Park Ridge High School, which I also did twice in my high school career. At the very least, we can both say that we were raised in a small town called Park Ridge in northern New Jersey.
