[2] The summit of the ridge is largely covered in woodlands as part of the Staten Island Greenbelt, although much of the surrounding area is developed and residential.

An alternate explanation is that the name was given by early Dutch settlers because of treeless rocky exposures on the hilltop,[6] caused by the soil of the Staten Island Serpentinite locality.

Two small, natural ponds are found on Todt Hill, and a Roman Catholic priory is located near the summit.

The point of highest elevation is the unmarked rise in the street level at the intersection of Dalemere Road and Chapin Avenue.

[10] These discrepancies may arise from varying methodologies in calculating population density or differing definitions of the neighborhood's boundaries.