What it's like to live in Paterson
Paterson is a mid-size city in New Jersey with commutes that run shorter than most cities 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. Paterson deals with unemployment above the national average, household incomes below the national average, crime rates above the national average, and college degree attainment below the national average.
The good
- Short commutes
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Above-average unemployment
- Below-average household incomes
- Crime above national average
- Low college degree attainment
- High poverty rate
- High rent burden for renters
How Paterson compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Paterson
Based on Paterson's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,096
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $61,920 a year
- 56% of Paterson renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$72,020
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $36,010
- Homes cost 6.4× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of livingNear US average
$1,548/mo median rent
Rent is pretty middle of the road, at $1,548 a month median. Not a bargain, not a budget-buster. About typical for a city this size. Home prices run above average, with a median around $360,100. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.
Median home value $360,100 · 56% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▲ 98% above US
8.5% unemployment
Unemployment here is 8.5%, well above the national average of 4.3%. Moving with a job already lined up matters more here.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▲ 164% above US
869 violent crimes per 100k
Crime is a real factor here, with violent rates significantly above the national average. That doesn't make the whole city a write-off, but it does mean specific neighborhoods deserve real research before signing a lease.
Property crime 2414/100k · Paterson Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 13% below US
23 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 22.6 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 7% take public transit; 5% 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
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 3.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 67% below US
12% bachelor's degree or higher
This is a working-class city, and college degree rates reflect that. Trades, manufacturing, and service industries tend to dominate the local economy, which is a strength for some fields and a real constraint for others.
Schools
49 public schools inside the boundary
There are 49 public schools inside the boundary and 4 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13:1, 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 (1 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Paterson's strongest point is commutes that run shorter than most cities; the main tradeoffs are unemployment above the national average and household incomes below the national average. A year of median rent ($1,548/mo) equals 33% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It may be a harder fit for anyone moving without a job lined up.
Other places near Paterson
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