Paterson vs Toms River
Paterson, New Jersey versus Toms River, New Jersey: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Toms River edges out Paterson on overall objective livability (43 vs 39 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Paterson | Toms River |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $52k | $92k |
| Cost of Living | $64k | $59k |
| Home Value | $314k | $356k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 2.92% | 1.79% |
| Income Tax | 10.70% | 10.70% |
| Sales Tax | 6.60% | 6.60% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 30.48% | 19.81% |
| Unemployment | 10.5% | 5.7% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 32°F | 33°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 77°F | 77°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 49.4 in | 52.0 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 28.2 in | 23.7 in |
| Sunny Days | 233 days | 211 days |
| Summer Humidity | 63°F | 66°F |
| Comfortable Days | 82 days | 83 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 54.6 | 49.7 |
| Air Quality | 47 AQI | 47 AQI |
| School Quality | 100.0 | 100.0 |
| Violent Crime | 2391/100k | 551/100k |
| Property Crime | 2296/100k | 777/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 157,864 | 92,827 |
| Median Age | 33.1 | 42.3 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.75 | 0.30 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.98 | 0.94 |
| Political Leaning | D+17 | R+29 |
| White (%) | 7.7% | 78.7% |
| Black (%) | 23.5% | 3.9% |
| Hispanic (%) | 63.1% | 10.9% |
| Asian (%) | 4.6% | 3.4% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 1.1% | 3.0% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 23 min | 31 min |
| Walkability | 16.4/20 | 8.9/20 |
| Airport Distance | 16 mi | 48 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 84.4% | 89.6% |
| Amenities Nearby | 39.15 | 21.76 |
| Park & Nature Access | Limited | Good |
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 Paterson or Toms River more affordable?
- Toms River has the lower cost of living: its index is $59k, compared with Paterson's $64k and Toms River's $59k. Median rent is $1k in Paterson versus $2k in Toms River.
- Is Paterson or Toms River safer?
- Toms River has the lower violent crime rate. Paterson reports 2391/100k and Toms River reports 551/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Paterson or Toms River?
- The median home value is $314k in Paterson and $356k in Toms River, so homes are more affordable in Paterson.