The Town FilesPaterson, New Jersey
City in Passaic County · population 159,732 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $360,100
- Household income
- $55,997
- Jan low / Jul high
- 23° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 28 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 11
- Median age
- 33.3
Paterson is a city of 159,732 people in Passaic County, New Jersey. The median home is worth $360,100, below the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). It ranks more walkable than 98% of New Jersey towns, more vibrant than 97% of New Jersey towns.
How Paterson ranks
Percentile among New Jersey towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of New Jersey towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Paterson is worth $360,100, below the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). Homes cost about 6.4 times the median household income of $55,997, which is more affordable than 7% of New Jersey towns. Median rent is $1,548 a month. 26.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Paterson | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $360,100 | $435,600 |
| Median rent | $1,548 | $1,774 |
| Median household income | $55,997 | $111,891 |
| Home value ÷ income | 6.4× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 26.9% | 80.8% |
| Median year built | 1954 | 1969 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Paterson
| People | Paterson | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 33.3 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 12.2% | 18.3% |
| Under 18 | 27.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 11.8% | 44.1% |
| Below the poverty line | 21.2% | 5.7% |
| Veterans | 1.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 44.6% | — |
| Work from home | 5.2% | 16.3% |
| Average commute | 22.6 min | 30.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.3% | 94.6% |
Weather in Paterson
July highs average 85.2°F and January lows 22.9°F. About 44.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 28.4 inches of snow (typical New Jersey town: 24.5 in). Expect about 21 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 108 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
11 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Paterson since 1950, compared with 9 for the typical New Jersey town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on August 7, 1962 about 5.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 21, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 53 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on July 8, 2021.
Severe weather in Passaic County since 1996
Passaic County has been included in 30 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 5, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4614: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| September 2, 2021 | Hurricane | EM-3573: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| March 25, 2020 | Biological | DR-4488: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3451: Covid-19 |
| June 8, 2018 | Severe Storm | DR-4368: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
Jobs and pay in Passaic County
Passaic County had 170,830 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $63,668 a year. Unemployment was 5.5% in 2023; in Paterson itself the ACS puts it at 10.7%.
Public schools in Paterson
49 public schools with 27,797 students, about 13.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eastside High School | 9-12 | 2,087 | 15.9 |
| John F. Kennedy High School | 9-12 | 1,794 | 12.5 |
| Paterson Charter School for Science and Technology (charter) | K-12 | 1,664 | 13.6 |
| College Achieve Paterson Charter School (charter) | K-12 | 1,499 | 23.4 |
| Paterson Arts and Science Charter School (charter) | K-12 | 1,212 | 14.4 |
| Joseph A. Taub School | 6-8 | 968 | 17.9 |
| Community Charter School of Paterson (charter) | K-8 | 900 | 16.4 |
| School 16 | PK-8 | 840 | 15.0 |
| School 5 | K-5 | 763 | 13.2 |
| Charles J. Riley/ School 9 | PK-8 | 726 | 11.7 |
| International High School | 9-12 | 662 | 13.2 |
| School 24 | PK-8 | 651 | 10.7 |
Towns near Paterson
- Prospect Park, NJ1.9 mi · 6,372 people · home $406,800
- Haledon, NJ2.1 mi · 9,052 people · home $396,400
- Elmwood Park, NJ2.4 mi · 21,422 people · home $483,700
- Woodland Park, NJ2.4 mi · 13,484 people · home $497,600
- Fair Lawn, NJ2.8 mi · 34,927 people · home $564,700
- Hawthorne, NJ2.9 mi · 19,637 people · home $533,700
- Totowa, NJ3.1 mi · 11,065 people · home $559,300
- North Haledon, NJ3.6 mi · 8,927 people · home $547,600
Paterson questions
Is Paterson, New Jersey a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Paterson scores better for retirees than 1% of New Jersey towns and quieter than 1%. 12.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 33.3).
How much does a house cost in Paterson?
The median owner-occupied home in Paterson is valued at $360,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $55,997, so homes cost about 6.4 times income. Median rent is $1,548 a month.
What is the weather like in Paterson?
July highs average 85.2°F and January lows 22.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 44.9 inches of precipitation a year and 28.4 inches of snow.
Does Paterson get tornadoes?
11 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Paterson since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on August 7, 1962. The typical New Jersey town has had 9.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)