Should I Move To
Roughly 157,864 people live in Paterson, New Jersey. Living here costs expensive relative to the rest of the country, 25% above the national average. Median rent runs about $1,392/mo; the typical household pulls in $52,092. On the UrbRank Score it pulls a 48/100 — a D, putting it at #575 nationally.
UrbRank Score · General
Each dimension scored 0-100 against every other US city.
Based on overall cost of living vs. other US cities.
Inverse of violent + property crime rate per 100,000 residents.
Temperate summers & winters, moderate precipitation.
Walk Score — how feasible daily errands are on foot.
Unemployment rate plus household income vs. national median.
Air quality index (EPA AQS data).
Share of residents 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
By the composite index, Paterson sits at 125 — expensive when stacked against the rest of the country. Running the rent-to-income math ($1,392/mo against $52,092 median household income), housing eats roughly 32% of a typical paycheck — a bit above the 30% rule, meaning housing is on the tight side for the median household. Buying-side, the median home value is $314,100.
Full cost-of-living breakdown →The weather here is four-season: roughly 84°F in summer, 28°F in winter. Annual precipitation lands near 47 inches. A walker's paradise by US standards. Many people here genuinely skip car ownership. Reported crime is somewhat above average, though specific neighborhoods vary widely. AQI runs about 42 — a "good" reading.
Verdict by lifestyle profile — same data, different priorities.
For families, Paterson isn't the strongest match. The profile-weighted score is 39/100 — a F. Its standout dimension is walkability (99/100); the soft spot is education (2/100).
For retirees, Paterson is workable — not standout, not weak. The profile-weighted score is 56/100 — a C. Its standout dimension is walkability (99/100); the soft spot is education (2/100).
For remote workers, Paterson isn't the strongest match. The profile-weighted score is 51/100 — a C-. Its standout dimension is walkability (99/100); the soft spot is education (2/100).
For young professionals, Paterson isn't the strongest match. The profile-weighted score is 45/100 — a D. Its standout dimension is walkability (99/100); the soft spot is education (2/100).
Our overall score for Paterson is 48/100 — a D, sitting at #575 in the national ranking. It's a weighted average across the seven UrbRank dimensions.
By the composite index, Paterson sits at 125 — expensive, 25% above the national average. Median renter pays around $1,392 a month.
Paterson runs four-season on the weather. Summer's near 84°F, winter's near 28°F; 47 inches of precipitation annually.
Walk Score: 99/100. A walker's paradise by US standards. Many people here genuinely skip car ownership.
Roughly 157,864 people live here, with 13% college-educated (bachelor's or higher) among adults 25+ with a median age of 33.
Drop Paterson into the comparison tool with any other US city and you'll get housing costs, salaries, demographics, and quality-of-life data lined up side by side. Profile-specific leaderboards (families, retirees, remote workers, young professionals) are linked from the navigation.
Every US city is scored 0-100 on seven dimensions using public data from the US Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, FBI Crime Data Explorer, EPA Air Quality System, NOAA NCEI, and Walk Score. Each dimension is a percentile rank against every other city — so a score of 80 means the city is in the top 20% nationally on that dimension.
The overall score is a weighted average. Five lifestyle profiles — general, families, retirees, remote workers, young professionals — weight the dimensions differently to reflect what each cares about. Families get more weight on safety and schools; young professionals get more weight on jobs and walkability; retirees get more weight on climate.
Compare Paterson with other New Jersey cities scored on UrbRank.
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