Cost of Living in Paterson, NJ
Cost of Living in Paterson, NJ has an overall index of 133, 33% above the U.S. baseline of 100. The typical home value is $527,848; typical monthly rent is $1,457; and median household income is $53,766.
Cost index: committed city housing/rent inputs and BEA 2024 metro-area price parities. Home value: Zillow ZHVI market signal as of 2026-02. Rent: Census ACS 2023 fallback place estimate. A place-level signal, not a personal affordability decision or financial recommendation.
Home prices are the main source of pressure. This describes the local market, not your household.
Can your household carry the housing cost?
Start with four decisions. Open advanced assumptions only when you need to replace the local defaults.
Enter your income and housing plan to see a household-specific estimate.
Compare Paterson with another place.
Search one destination and see which housing and local-cost categories change most.
Inspect the numbers when you need them.
Other New Jersey cities with a useful tradeoff.
Recommendations require usable housing and income data and exclude very small places for a city of this scale.
Frequently asked questions about Paterson
Living in Paterson
Is Paterson, NJ an expensive place to live?+
Yes — Paterson is about 33% more expensive than the national average, with an overall Cost Index of 133. Housing is the biggest factor: the typical home here is valued around $527,848, and monthly rents average roughly $1,457. Day-to-day costs like groceries and utilities tend to run higher than average as well.
How does Paterson fit a household housing budget?+
Start with housing. Typical monthly rent is $1,457, while local median household income is $53,766. That implies a rent-burden proxy of about 33% before utilities and other costs. Use that as a planning signal for whether the place looks manageable under your own household assumptions.
How much are taxes in Paterson, NJ?+
New Jersey uses a progressive model; 10.75% is top marginal-rate context. Applying the 2.47% state-level effective owner-occupied proxy to a home worth $527,848 gives a planning estimate near $13,038 per year; it is not a city, county, parcel, or individual tax bill. State plus average local sales-tax context is around 6.6%.
How much does it cost to rent in Paterson, NJ?+
The typical monthly rent in Paterson is around $1,457. That's close to the $1,348 national median. For comparison, the median home value here is $527,848, so buyers should also factor in mortgage payments, property taxes, and insurance.
How much does a house cost in Paterson, NJ?+
The typical home value in Paterson is $527,848. With 20% down and the committed 6.11% national 30-year fixed benchmark as of 2026-03-12, principal and interest are roughly $2,562/month before property tax and insurance. This is a planning estimate, not a local lender quote. About 26% of residents here own their homes.
Are groceries and utilities expensive in Paterson?+
Grocery prices in Paterson are noticeably pricier compared to the rest of the US (index: 110, where 100 is the national average). Utility bills (electricity, gas, water) are on the high side (index: 127). Both add meaningful weight to your monthly budget here.
What is Paterson, NJ like to live in?+
Paterson is a mid-sized city with a population of about 157,660. The median age of residents is 33.3, which is close to the national median. The local poverty rate is 23.56%, above the national average of 12.4%.