Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Olathe, KS
VS
Paterson, NJ
🏆 Olathe leads 19 of 23 categories
Olathe
Kansas
19
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.3 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$108,077 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
52 ✓ Safer
Population
142,114
Paterson
New Jersey
4
wins
Cost of Living Index
112.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$52,092
Violent Crime Index
258⚠ High
Population
157,864 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Olathe, KS
Pros
Households earn $55,985 more per year on average
80% less violent crime than Paterson
Stronger job market — unemployment is 7.3 pts lower (3.2%)
More college-educated — 50.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
19% cheaper overall cost of living than Paterson
Violent crime is well below the national average (196.0 vs 380/100k)
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Paterson, NJ
Pros
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Cons
Median income trails Olathe by $55,985/yr
Violent crime (978.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 19% higher than Olathe
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 112.5)
Key Differences at a Glance
Olathe
Cost of Living
19% cheaper
COL index 93.3 vs 112.5 (100 = US avg)
Olathe
Median Income
$55,985
$108,077 vs $52,092/yr
Olathe
Violent Crime
80% lower
196.0 vs 978.6 per 100k
Olathe
Unemployment
7.3 pp lower
3.2% vs 10.5% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Olathe, KS | Paterson, NJ |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 93.3 ✓ Cheaper | 112.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $317,900⚠ High | $314,100⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,229 ✓ Lower | $1,392⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $108,077 ✓ Higher | $52,092 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.2% ✓ Lower | 10.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 21.5 min ✓ Shorter | 23.4 min |
| Work From Home % | 16.3% ✓ Higher | 3.6% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 49 ✓ Safer | 199⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 52 ✓ Safer | 258⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 45 ✓ Safer | 112⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (125) ✓ Better | C+ (87) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 4.7:1 ✓ Smaller | 14.0:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 50.9% ✓ Higher | 12.6% |
| High School or Higher | 94.7% ✓ Higher | 76.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | School for Deaf | Paterson Public School District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 38.7°F | 39.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 88.2°F ✓ Warmer | 86.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.7" ✓ Drier | 49.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 13.8" ✓ Less | 28.2" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 142,114 | 157,864 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 36.3 ✓ Older | 33.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 73.5% ✓ Higher | 26.3% |
| Under 18 | 26.8% | 27.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 12.6% ✓ More | 11.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Olathe's cost of living index is 93.3 vs Paterson's 112.5 (US average = 100).
Olathe is 19% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Olathe leads 19 of 23 categories. Olathe wins 19 and Paterson wins 4. 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 Olathe to Paterson or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($317,900 vs $314,100 median home), income ($108,077 vs $52,092), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Olathe, KS and Paterson, NJ are about 1,101 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.