City comparison
Bayonne, NJ is about 20 miles (30 km) from Paterson, NJ in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 20 miles, or about 22 min behind the wheel at highway speeds.
Driving distance is a rough estimate (great-circle × 1.25); driving time assumes a 60 mph blended average. Real trips run 10–20% longer with stops.
A direct flight from Bayonne, NJ to Paterson, NJ takes about 2 min, covering roughly 20 miles in a straight line. Connecting itineraries with a layover typically add 1–3 hours.
Block-to-block estimate at ~500 mph cruise, including taxi, climb, and descent — what an airline would publish, not pure airborne time.
Paterson has a population of 157,864, vs 70,497 in Bayonne — about 2.2× larger by population. By land area, Paterson covers about 8.4 sq mi vs 5.8 sq mi for Bayonne.
Population from US Census ACS. Land area from the Census Gazetteer (city proper, excluding inland water).
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Bayonne | Paterson | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,474/mo | $1,392/mo | 5.9% higher in Bayonne |
| Median home value | $413,100 | $314,100 | 31.5% higher in Bayonne |
| Median household income | $80,044 | $52,092 | 53.7% higher in Bayonne |
| Groceries index | 109.4 | 109.4 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 124.5 | 124.5 | ≈ equal |
| Transportation index | 105.0 | 105.0 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 105.7 | 105.7 | ≈ equal |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Bayonne, you'd need $99,808 in Paterson to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Bayonne and Paterson have nearly identical overall cost-of-living indices. If you earn $80,000 in Bayonne, you'd need about $79,846 in Paterson to keep the same standard of living.