Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Newark, NJ
VS
Paterson, NJ
🏆 Newark leads 12 of 21 categories
Newark
New Jersey
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
112.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$46,460
Violent Crime Index
153⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
307,355 ✓ Larger
Paterson
New Jersey
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
112.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$52,092 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
258⚠ High
Population
157,864
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Newark, NJ
Pros
41% less violent crime than Paterson
Rent averages $119/mo less ($1,273 vs $1,392)
More college-educated — 17.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Violent crime (581.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 112.5)
Median income trails Paterson by $5,632/yr
Longer commutes — 33.0 min average each way
Paterson, NJ
Pros
Commutes run 10 min shorter each way
Households earn $5,632 more per year on average
Smaller class sizes — 14.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (978.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 112.5)
Higher rents — median is $1,392/mo
Key Differences at a Glance
Newark
Violent Crime
41% lower
581.2 vs 978.6 per 100k
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 112.5 on the COL index
Paterson
Median Income
$5,632
$52,092 vs $46,460/yr
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Newark, NJ | Paterson, NJ |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 112.5⚠ High | 112.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $312,300⚠ High ✓ Lower | $314,100⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,273 ✓ Lower | $1,392⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $46,460 | $52,092 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 10.7%⚠ High | 10.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 33.0 min⚠ High | 23.4 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 4.6% ✓ Higher | 3.6% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 129⚠ High ✓ Safer | 199⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 153⚠ High ✓ Safer | 258⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 93 ✓ Safer | 112⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (85) | C+ (87) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.6:1 | 14.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 17.0% ✓ Higher | 12.6% |
| High School or Higher | 77.7% ✓ Higher | 76.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Newark Public School District | Paterson Public School District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 39.4°F ✓ Warmer | 39.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 86.8°F ✓ Warmer | 86.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.4" | 49.4" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 28.2" | 28.2" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 307,355 ✓ Larger | 157,864 |
| Median Age | 34.7 ✓ Older | 33.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 23.9% | 26.3% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 24.1% | 27.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 10.9% | 11.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Newark's cost of living index is 112.5 vs Paterson's 112.5 (US average = 100).
Both have a similar overall cost of living.
Based on the 21 decided categories above, Newark leads 12 of 21 categories. Newark wins 12 and Paterson wins 9. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Newark to Paterson or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($312,300 vs $314,100 median home), income ($46,460 vs $52,092), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Newark, NJ and Paterson, NJ are about 13 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.