Median Income
$57,832
household / year
Median Home Value
$379,800
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,341
gross / month
Cost of Living
112
national avg = 100

Is Passaic, NJ a Good Place to Live?

Passaic is a mid-sized city of 70,048 in New Jersey, with a median household income of $57,832 and a 11.8% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 112 (US average = 100), which is 12% above the national average.

Strengths: Passaic stands out for short average commutes.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an above-average cost of living, a higher-than-average crime index, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Passaic is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Passaic city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 112.5

Passaic's overall cost of living index is 112.5, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Passaic costs roughly 12% more than the average American city.

Metric Passaic, NJ National Avg
Median Home Value $379,800 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,341 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 22.0% 65.9%
Median Household Income $57,832 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Higher than Average

Passaic's violent crime rate is 719.2 per 100,000 residents — 89% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
719.2 /100k
Property Crime
1837.3 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Passaic is served primarily by Passaic City School District. The student-to-teacher ratio is 12.5:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Passaic, NJ National Avg
School District Passaic City School District —
Elementary Schools 10 —
Middle Schools 3 —
High Schools 3 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 12.5:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 16.1% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 67.4% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Passaic sees average highs of 39.9°F in January and 87.0°F in July, with 46.3 inches of annual precipitation and 28.2 inches of snow per year.

MetricPassaic, NJ
Average High — January39.9°F
Average High — July87.0°F
Annual Precipitation46.3"
Annual Snowfall28.2"

Demographics

MetricPassaic, NJNational Avg
Population70,048—
Median Age30.538.9
Unemployment Rate11.8%3.7%
Avg Commute Time25.1 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)35.8%59.3%
Black or African American7.5%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino50.8%18.9%
Asian3.9%6.3%
Under 1831.3%22.2%
65 and over9.0%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Wallington, NJ 1 mi Clifton, NJ 2 mi Garfield, NJ 2 mi Wood-Ridge, NJ 2 mi Lodi, NJ 3 mi

ZIP Codes in Passaic

Passaic, NJ is covered by 1 ZIP code:

07055

Passaic vs Other Cities

Passaic, NJ vs Wallington, NJ Passaic, NJ vs Clifton, NJ Passaic, NJ vs Garfield, NJ Passaic, NJ vs Wood-Ridge, NJ Passaic, NJ vs Lodi, NJ

Frequently Asked Questions

Passaic's cost of living index is 112, where 100 is the national average. That puts Passaic roughly 12% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $379,800 and median rent is $1,341/month.
Passaic's violent crime rate is 719.2 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1837.3 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Passaic are operated by Passaic City School District. The district has 10 elementary, 3 middle, and 3 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 12.5:1. 16.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Passaic, NJ has a population of 70,048, a median household income of $57,832, and an unemployment rate of 11.8%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Passaic averages 39.9°F in January and 87.0°F in July. Annual rainfall is 46.3 inches with about 28.2 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Passaic, NJ is covered by 1 ZIP code: 07055.
The population of Passaic, New Jersey is 70,048 with a median age of 30.5. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Passaic: cost of living index 112 (100 = US average), median home $379,800, median household income $57,832, crime index 149 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated C+. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Passaic side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.