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Living in
Paterson.
About
Life in Paterson
If you're considering a move to Paterson, forget the silk industry history—what matters is what daily life actually looks like here in 2024. This is a real, working-class city of nearly 160,000 people where you'll find genuine affordability in the New York-New Jersey metro area: median rent around $1,548 and median home values near $360,100 make it considerably cheaper than surrounding suburbs, which is a huge draw for people working in the region. What you'll actually experience living here is genuine ethnic and cultural diversity: Dominican, Turkish, Arab, Bangladeshi, Albanian, and South Asian communities have all made Paterson home, making it the second-largest Muslim population center in the U.S. by percentage.
Paterson at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
33.3 yrs
Poverty Rate
21.2%
Foreign-Born
44.6%
Broadband Internet
89.3%
of households
Population Growth
+1.3%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics44.6% foreign-born, most often from Dominican Republic
Who lives in Paterson: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Paterson, the largest foreign-born group is from Dominican Republic (45.0%), and 58.0% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
27.7%
of residents
65 and Older
12.2%
of residents
Households with Kids
44.0%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
22.1%
of households
Married Couples
33.7%
of households
Avg Household Size
3.15
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 10% below NJ average
Rent, home values, and income in Paterson
In Paterson, rent runs 10% below the NJ average, and home values are 21% below the NJ average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
56.0%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
33.4%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
112.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Homeowners
26.9%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1954
median year built
Vacant Homes
5.1%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $540,919 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 3.3 pts above NJ average
Unemployment in Paterson
Unemployment in Paterson is 3.3 percentage points higher than the NJ average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Paterson Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute22.6 min avg
How Paterson residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Paterson, most residents drive alone to work (61%), and 74% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 16 mi
Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)
Major hub23.5M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 164% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Paterson runs 164% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
869.4
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
2,414
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Paterson Police Department
Natural DisastersFlash Flood most common — 8 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
95.8 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Passaic County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Passaic County, which includes Paterson, the most common type is flash flood, with 8 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 8 | Winter Weather | $13,000 |
| 2024 | 10 | Thunderstorm Wind | $20,000 |
| 2023 | 7 | Flash Flood | $4,000 |
| 2022 | 7 | Winter Weather | $1,500 |
| 2021 | 19 | Flash Flood | $40,000 |
| 2020 | 9 | High Wind | $56,000 |
| 2019 | 12 | Thunderstorm Wind | $76,000 |
| 2018 | 15 | Flash Flood | $3.2M |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Passaic County, county-wide
Air Quality41 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Passaic County, which includes Paterson, is typically good — 268 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
41
Good Days
268
per year
Moderate Days
92
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Passaic County, county-wide
Climate85°F summers, 28°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Paterson has warm summers (avg high 85°F) and cold winters (avg low 28°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
62°/44°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
85°/66°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
67°/49°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
43°/28°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
49.4"
Annual Snowfall
28.2"
Hot Days/Year
22
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
117
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
127
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 40°F | 26°F | 3.28" |
| Feb | 43°F | 27°F | 2.82" |
| Mar | 51°F | 34°F | 4.09" |
| Apr | 63°F | 44°F | 3.97" |
| May | 73°F | 53°F | 3.94" |
| Jun | 82°F | 63°F | 4.25" |
| Jul | 87°F | 69°F | 4.45" |
| Aug | 85°F | 67°F | 4.25" |
| Sep | 78°F | 60°F | 4.11" |
| Oct | 67°F | 48°F | 3.73" |
| Nov | 56°F | 38°F | 3.30" |
| Dec | 45°F | 31°F | 4.10" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 3.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Paterson
Paterson has 1 hospital, averaging 3.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
19.5%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
3.0 / 5
St Joseph's University Medical Center Inc.
Acute Care Hospitals
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
St Mary's General Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 4.1 mi away · Passaic
Ramapo Ridge Behavioral Health Hospital
Psychiatric · 4.9 mi away · Wyckoff
Bergen New Bridge Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 5.6 mi away · Paramus
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education13.4:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Paterson
Paterson's student/teacher ratio is 13.4:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 11.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
49
within city limits
Private Schools
4
within city limits
College Degree Rate
11.8%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
13.4:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Paterson
Passaic County Community College
Public · 2-year · 4,260 students · in-state tuition $6,660 · 20% graduate · median earnings $42,497 (10 yrs after entry)
Nearby Colleges (within 15 miles)
Public · 4-year · 16,289 students · in-state tuition $7,382 · 59% graduate · median earnings $70,502 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 4-year · 12,505 students · in-state tuition $7,340 · 58% graduate · median earnings $69,594 (10 yrs after entry)
CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice
13.5 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 11,590 students · in-state tuition $7,470 · 63% graduate · median earnings $65,870 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 4-year · 10,696 students · in-state tuition $7,410 · 59% graduate · median earnings $65,181 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 10,557 students · in-state tuition $5,060 · 37% graduate · median earnings $52,092 (10 yrs after entry)
New Jersey Institute of Technology
12 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 9,019 students · in-state tuition $21,162 · 75% graduate · median earnings $90,769 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park, 1 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Paterson
Paterson has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park (1 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park
National Historical Park
1 mi awayThomas Edison National Historical Park
National Historical Park
10 mi awayGeneral Grant National Memorial
National Memorial
13 mi awayHamilton Grange National Memorial
National Memorial
13 mi awayStonewall National Monument
National Monument
15 mi awayTheodore Roosevelt Birthplace National Historic Site
National Historic Site
15 mi awayAfrican Burial Ground National Monument
National Monument
16 mi awayCastle Clinton National Monument
National Monument
16 mi awayPublic Libraries in Paterson
Paterson Free Public Library
250 Broadway, Paterson
Northside Branch Library
60 Temple St., Paterson
South Paterson Branch
930 Main Street, Paterson
Totowa Branch
405 Union Ave., Paterson
Cities Near Paterson
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Paterson?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Paterson FAQ
Is Paterson, New Jersey affordable?⌄
Paterson's median rent is $1,548/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $55,997/year. Median home value is $360,100.
Is Paterson, New Jersey safe?⌄
Paterson's violent crime rate was 869 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is significantly above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 2414 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Paterson, New Jersey?⌄
Paterson has an unemployment rate of 8.5%, which is above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Paterson, New Jersey?⌄
The cost of living in Paterson is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,548/month and median household income is $55,997/year. The median home value is $360,100. About 56% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Paterson, New Jersey?⌄
The average commute in Paterson is 23 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from