City profile · New Jersey · Census ACS 2023

Paramus, NJ

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Paramus - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

26,500
Residents
$139,707
Median income
$736,000
Median home
$2,324
Median rent (state)

Paramus - the verdict

Nationally, Paramus sits in the 92nd percentile for household income and the 4th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

92nd
percentile, household income
94th
percentile, home value
89th
percentile, median rent
4th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Paramus, NJ

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 26,500 residents in Paramus, a small city within New Jersey. Paramus households earn a median of $139,707 annually, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 3.1%. Paramus's housing stock carries a median value of $736,000, and the median resident age is 49.1 years. About 50.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 53.3% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 52 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Building Boom), up 53% from five years earlier. Paramus's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 4928.0 incidents per 100,000 residents, above the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

New Jersey carries a cost-of-living premium: the state registers 108.8 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Well Above Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $2,324 per month statewide. Monthly utility costs average around $275 across New Jersey, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Commute times here average 24.0 minutes, with 63.2% driving alone and 21.5% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. Natural-hazard exposure scores 97.8 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

26,500 residents

Census ACS 2023 - New Jersey

Median Household Income

$139,707 /yr

Poverty 3.1%

Cost of Living Index (state)

108.8 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, New Jersey average

How does Paramus compare to other US cities?

Here's how Paramus stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 92% higher than other cities
Home value 94% pricier than other cities
Median rent 89% pricier than other cities
Safety 4% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to New Jersey alone, Paramus ranks #230 of 238 New Jersey cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Paramus's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in New Jersey, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

92ndIncome percentile
4thSafety percentile

92nd percentile nationally for median household income · 4th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Paramus's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Paramus's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 35 Avg. percentile National median
Paramus's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Paramus's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$736,000 6th percentile more affordable than 6% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). This entry sits in this band. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Paramus $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Paramus, NJ Paramus, NJ's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Paramus, NJ-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Paramus, NJ median $139,707/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Paramus, NJ's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Paramus, NJ. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 50.2%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 3.1%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 53.3%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
26,500
Median Income
$139,707
Median Home Value
$736,000
Median Age
49.1
Poverty Rate
3.1%
Labor force participation
53.3%
Bachelor's Degree+
50.2%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
4928.0
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
29.9
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
4898.1
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
17
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
26,400 residents26,500 residents26,600 residents26,700 residents26,800 residents 202020212022202320242025 26,715 residents 26,723 residents ▲ +0.0%
Paramus's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
52
housing units authorized
Single-Family
52
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
2
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 34
2020 41
2021 50
2022 33
2023 79
2024 52

Permit volume increased 53% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
24.0 minutes
Drive Alone
63.2%
Carpool
5.7%
Public Transit
7.8%
Walk
1.3%
Work from Home
21.5%

Based on 11,630 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for New Jersey - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$120
avg/month
Natural Gas
$95
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$60
avg/month
Total Utilities
$275
estimated/month

Estimates reflect New Jersey state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a New Jersey state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Paramus sits in

Cost of Living Index
108.8
Well Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$2,324/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
97.8 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in New Jersey

Bridgeton
26,836 people
Ridgewood
26,076 people
Lodi
25,946 people
Cliffside Park
25,580 people
Millville
27,432 people
Carteret
25,187 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Paramus's 26,500 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Rosemount, MN
26,509 people
Sanger, CA
26,515 people
Jenks, OK
26,519 people
Tumwater, WA
26,519 people
Auburn, NY
26,475 people
Venice, FL
26,467 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Paramus's $139,707 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

West Point, NY
$139,700 median income
Signal Mountain, TN
$139,714 median income
Levittown, NY
$139,696 median income
Freedom, CA
$139,722 median income
Pewee Valley, KY
$139,688 median income
Woodcrest, CA
$139,659 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Paramus, NJ Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Paramus, NJ - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 59.2% 23.7% 9.1% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 13.2% White 59.2% Black or African American 4.3% Asian 23.7% American Indian 0.5% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 3.2% Two or more races 9.1% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Paramus compares to nearby New Jersey cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Paramus (this city) 26,500 $139,707
Bridgeton 26,836 $46,124
Ridgewood 26,076 $217,250
Lodi 25,946 $84,570
Census ACS 5-year FIPS NJ FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Paramus, NJ?

What is the population of Paramus, NJ? +

Paramus, NJ has a population of 26,500 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Paramus, NJ? +

In Paramus, the typical household earns $139,707 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Paramus? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Paramus; the closest available measure is the New Jersey state average, a cost of living index of 108.8 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within New Jersey vary by metro area.

Is Paramus, NJ safe? +

Paramus has a total crime rate of 4928.0 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Paramus, NJ? +

A typical home in Paramus is worth $736,000, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.