Best Life Index › States › New Jersey › Cities › Paterson

New Jersey city profile

What Is It Like to Live in Paterson?

What it costs to live in Paterson, and how it compares with other New Jersey cities, in plain numbers.

Value score

12

74th best value in New Jersey

How much you get for what you pay, versus other New Jersey cities.

Overall livability

16

77th overall in New Jersey

Cost, safety, schools, jobs and quality of life combined.

Paterson is home to about 157,927 people. A typical home runs $269,200 and a household earns around $48,500, a price-to-income ratio of 5.5. Among New Jersey's largest cities, it ranks 74th for value and 77th overall.

Paterson at a glance

Median home price

$269,200

67th in NJ of 78

Median rent

$1,278/mo

Median household income

$48,500

Home price to income

5.5x

Unemployment

9.3%

66th in NJ of 78

School rating

3/10

71st in NJ of 78

Air quality (AQI)

45

0th in NJ of 78

Walk score

18/100

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‹ See all top New Jersey cities ranked  ยท  New Jersey state profile ›

Sources: Home prices and rent from Zillow; income, unemployment and commute from the U.S. Census; school ratings from state education data; crime from the FBI; air quality from the EPA. City rankings are within New Jersey only. Updated 2026.