Jersey City vs Paterson
Jersey City, 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.
Jersey City edges out Paterson on overall objective livability (43 vs 39 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Jersey City | Paterson |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $91k | $52k |
| Cost of Living | $68k | $64k |
| Home Value | $500k | $314k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $3k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.61% | 2.92% |
| Income Tax | 10.70% | 10.70% |
| Sales Tax | 6.60% | 6.60% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 21.72% | 30.48% |
| Unemployment | 5.8% | 10.5% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 33°F | 32°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 78°F | 77°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.4 in | 49.4 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 28.2 in | 28.2 in |
| Sunny Days | 170 days | 233 days |
| Summer Humidity | 63°F | 63°F |
| Comfortable Days | 82 days | 82 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 35.7 | 54.6 |
| Air Quality | 42 AQI | 47 AQI |
| School Quality | 100.0 | 100.0 |
| Violent Crime | 776/100k | 2391/100k |
| Property Crime | 1601/100k | 2296/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 287,899 | 157,864 |
| Median Age | 34.6 | 33.1 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.77 | 0.75 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.03 | 0.98 |
| Political Leaning | D+47 | D+17 |
| White (%) | 23.0% | 7.7% |
| Black (%) | 19.9% | 23.5% |
| Hispanic (%) | 27.2% | 63.1% |
| Asian (%) | 25.4% | 4.6% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.5% | 1.1% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 37 min | 23 min |
| Walkability | 15.6/20 | 16.4/20 |
| Airport Distance | 6 mi | 16 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 90.8% | 84.4% |
| Amenities Nearby | 179.54 | 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 Jersey City or Paterson more affordable?
- Paterson has the lower cost of living: its index is $64k, compared with Jersey City's $68k and Paterson's $64k. Median rent is $2k in Jersey City versus $1k in Paterson.
- Is Jersey City or Paterson safer?
- Jersey City has the lower violent crime rate. Jersey City reports 776/100k and Paterson reports 2391/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Jersey City or Paterson?
- The median home value is $500k in Jersey City and $314k in Paterson, so homes are more affordable in Paterson.