City profile · New Jersey · Census ACS 2023

Paterson, NJ

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

157,660
Residents
$53,766
Median income
$335,400
Median home
$2,324
Median rent (state)

Paterson - the verdict

Paterson ranks in the 25th percentile for household income and the 12th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

25th
percentile, household income
70th
percentile, home value
89th
percentile, median rent
12th
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: Paterson, NJ

157,660 people live in Paterson, New Jersey - a mid-sized U.S. city by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Paterson brings in $53,766 a year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 20.9%. Home values in Paterson run a median of $335,400, and the median resident age is 33.3 years. About 12.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 56.7% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 366 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Slowing), down 24% from five years earlier. Paterson's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: FBI UCR figures show 3329.7 crimes per 100,000 residents, above the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score).

New Jersey carries a cost-of-living premium: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, New Jersey scores 108.8 (Well Above Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $2,324 per month. Monthly utility costs average around $275 across New Jersey, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Workers in Paterson report an average commute of 22.0 minutes, with 62.4% driving alone and 4.8% working from home. Natural-hazard exposure scores 97.8 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

157,660 residents

Census ACS 2023 - New Jersey

Median Household Income

$53,766 /yr

Poverty 20.9%

Cost of Living Index (state)

108.8 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, New Jersey average

How does Paterson compare to other US cities?

Where Paterson sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 25% higher than other cities
Home value 70% pricier than other cities
Median rent 89% pricier than other cities
Safety 12% safer than other cities

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

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at New Jersey, Paterson ranks #221 of 238 New Jersey cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

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 Paterson'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.

25thIncome percentile
12thSafety percentile

25th percentile nationally for median household income · 12th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Paterson's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Paterson'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 19 Avg. percentile National median
Paterson'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 Paterson's home value compares nationally

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

$335,400 30th percentile more affordable than 30% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $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. Paterson $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 - Paterson, NJ Paterson, NJ's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Paterson, 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 Paterson, NJ median $53,766/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%
Paterson, 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 Paterson, NJ. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 12.5%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 20.9%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 56.7%

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

Population
157,660
Median Income
$53,766
Median Home Value
$335,400
Median Age
33.3
Poverty Rate
20.9%
Labor force participation
56.7%
Bachelor's Degree+
12.5%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
3329.7
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
978.6
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2351.1
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
46
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
156,000 residents158,000 residents160,000 residents162,000 residents164,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 159,276 residents 161,793 residents ▲ +1.6%
Paterson's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

🏗️ Slowing
Total Permits (2024)
366
housing units authorized
Single-Family
53
detached homes
Multifamily
313
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
2.3
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 483
2020 590
2021 665
2022 437
2023 370
2024 366

Permit volume decreased 24% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
22.0 minutes
Drive Alone
62.4%
Carpool
17.1%
Public Transit
8.0%
Walk
5.8%
Work from Home
4.8%
Other
1.9%

Based on 65,472 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 Paterson 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

Elizabeth
135,887 people
Toms River
93,915 people
Trenton
89,966 people
Clifton
89,247 people
Camden
71,471 people
Bayonne
70,468 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Paterson's 157,660 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Murfreesboro, TN
157,547 people
Alexandria, VA
156,788 people
Macon-Bibb County, GA
156,543 people
Corona, CA
158,839 people
Lakewood, CO
156,309 people
Killeen, TX
156,144 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Paterson's $53,766 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Scranton, KS
$53,767 median income
New Haven, CT
$53,771 median income
Southern View, IL
$53,774 median income
Thibodaux, LA
$53,775 median income
Strabane, PA
$53,775 median income
Ehrenberg, AZ
$53,750 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Paterson, 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 Paterson, NJ - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 15.5% 24.1% 35.2% 20.1% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 62.8% White 15.5% Black or African American 24.1% Asian 4.9% American Indian 0.3% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 35.2% Two or more races 20.1% 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 Paterson 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
Paterson (this city) 157,660 $53,766
Elizabeth 135,887 $63,874
Toms River 93,915 $95,759
Trenton 89,966 $47,102
Census ACS 5-year FIPS NJ FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Paterson, NJ?

What is the population of Paterson, NJ? +

Paterson, NJ counts 157,660 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

In Paterson, the typical household earns $53,766 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Paterson? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Paterson; 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 Paterson, NJ safe? +

Paterson has a total crime rate of 3329.7 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 Paterson, NJ? +

A typical home in Paterson is worth $335,400, 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.