Hackensack vs Paterson
Hackensack, New Jersey versus Paterson, New Jersey: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Hackensack and Paterson score about the same overall (42 vs 39 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Hackensack | Paterson |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $79k | $52k |
| Cost of Living | $64k | $64k |
| Home Value | $353k | $314k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $3k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 2.71% | 2.92% |
| Income Tax | 10.70% | 10.70% |
| Sales Tax | 6.60% | 6.60% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 24.98% | 30.48% |
| Unemployment | 6.9% | 10.5% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 33°F | 32°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 78°F | 77°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 46.3 in | 49.4 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 29.8 in | 28.2 in |
| Sunny Days | 233 days | 233 days |
| Summer Humidity | 63°F | 63°F |
| Comfortable Days | 81 days | 82 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 40.4 | 54.6 |
| Air Quality | 47 AQI | 47 AQI |
| School Quality | 100.0 | 100.0 |
| Violent Crime | 912/100k | 2391/100k |
| Property Crime | 2416/100k | 2296/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 45,758 | 157,864 |
| Median Age | 40.0 | 33.1 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.75 | 0.75 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.98 | 0.98 |
| Political Leaning | D+17 | D+17 |
| White (%) | 26.6% | 7.7% |
| Black (%) | 19.7% | 23.5% |
| Hispanic (%) | 36.8% | 63.1% |
| Asian (%) | 13.0% | 4.6% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.9% | 1.1% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 29 min | 23 min |
| Walkability | 14.9/20 | 16.4/20 |
| Airport Distance | 12 mi | 16 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 92.6% | 84.4% |
| Amenities Nearby | 132.44 | 39.15 |
| Park & Nature Access | Limited | Limited |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Hackensack or Paterson more affordable?
- Paterson has the lower cost of living: its index is $64k, compared with Hackensack's $64k and Paterson's $64k. Median rent is $2k in Hackensack versus $1k in Paterson.
- Is Hackensack or Paterson safer?
- Hackensack has the lower violent crime rate. Hackensack reports 912/100k and Paterson reports 2391/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Hackensack or Paterson?
- The median home value is $353k in Hackensack and $314k in Paterson, so homes are more affordable in Paterson.