Ideal CityOpen the map

Newark vs Paterson

Newark, 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.

Overall livability

Newark

Mixed · objective livability39/100

Paterson

Mixed · objective livability39/100

Newark and Paterson score about the same overall (39 vs 39 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.

Factor-by-factor comparison

FactorNewarkPaterson
Affordability
Median Household Income$46k$52k
Cost of Living$58k$64k
Home Value$312k$314k
Monthly Rent$1k$1k
Monthly Owner Costs$2k$2k
Property Tax Rate2.28%2.92%
Income Tax10.70%10.70%
Sales Tax6.60%6.60%
Estimated total tax burden28.20%30.48%
Unemployment10.7%10.5%
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)32°F32°F
Summer Temp (Jul)78°F77°F
Annual Precipitation50.4 in49.4 in
Annual Snowfall28.2 in28.2 in
Sunny Days170 days233 days
Summer Humidity63°F63°F
Comfortable Days81 days82 days
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk27.954.6
Air Quality36 AQI47 AQI
School Quality100.0100.0
Violent Crime1646/100k2391/100k
Property Crime1819/100k2296/100k
Community
Population307,355157,864
Median Age34.733.1
Racial Diversity0.690.75
Male/Female Ratio0.980.98
Political LeaningD+56D+17
White (%)9.4%7.7%
Black (%)45.4%23.5%
Hispanic (%)37.2%63.1%
Asian (%)2.0%4.6%
Other / Multiracial (%)6.0%1.1%
Getting Around
Commute Time33 min23 min
Walkability15.2/2016.4/20
Airport Distance3 mi16 mi
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access78.2%84.4%
Amenities Nearby24.4739.15
Park & Nature AccessModerateLimited

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 Newark or Paterson more affordable?
Newark has the lower cost of living: its index is $58k, compared with Newark's $58k and Paterson's $64k. Median rent is $1k in Newark versus $1k in Paterson.
Is Newark or Paterson safer?
Newark has the lower violent crime rate. Newark reports 1646/100k and Paterson reports 2391/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
Are homes cheaper in Newark or Paterson?
The median home value is $312k in Newark and $314k in Paterson, so homes are more affordable in Newark.
See each on the map

Explore Newark →Explore Paterson →

Full profiles