What it's like to live in Paramus
Paramus is a small city in New Jersey with household incomes running above the national average, crime rates well below the national average, a highly educated workforce, and schools with smaller class sizes than the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Paramus deals with rent well above the national average, home prices well above the national average, commute times longer than most cities, and a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin.
The good
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
- Highly educated workforce
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- High home prices
- Above-average commute times
- High rent burden for renters
- Cold winters
How Paramus compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Paramus
Based on Paramus's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$6,064
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $121,280 a year
- 52% of Paramus renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$162,780
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $81,390
- Homes cost 5.6× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 115% above US
$3,032/mo median rent
Rent is expensive here, at $3,032 a month median and well above the national average. This is the kind of city where housing costs deserve serious budgeting before committing to a move. Home prices are steep, with a median around $813,900. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $813,900 · 52% of renters cost-burdened
Job marketNear US average
4.5% unemployment
Unemployment here is 4.5%, close to the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 90% below US
34 violent crimes per 100k
Pretty safe, all things considered. Violent crime sits below the national average, nothing alarming, just ordinary city-life awareness.
Property crime 3903/100k · Paramus Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 18% above US
31 min average commute
Traffic is a real factor here. The 30.8 minute average means plenty of commuters are pushing 45 to 60 minutes on a bad day. Proximity to work matters more here than it might elsewhere. 7 in 10 workers drive to work; 8% take public transit; 22% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 85°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 28°F and snow a regular occurrence. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
2 hospitals
There are 2 Medicare-certified hospitals inside city limits. They average 4.0 out of 5 on Medicare's star rating.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▲ 44% above US
52% bachelor's degree or higher
This is a highly educated city, with over half the adult population holding a college degree. That tends to shape the job market and the broader culture, and it's a solid indicator of a strong professional scene.
Schools
18 public schools inside the boundary
There are 18 public schools inside the boundary and 10 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 9:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park (6 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Paramus's strongest points are household incomes running above the national average and crime rates well below the national average; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and home prices well above the national average. A year of median rent ($3,032/mo) equals 25% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime, remote workers (22% of workers here already work from home), and college-educated professionals. It may be a harder fit for renters on a tight budget.
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