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CITY · 2000 CENSUS

Paterson

New Jersey · 149,222 residents · 8.41 sq mi
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The short version

Paterson is a city of 149,222 people in New Jersey. 32% of homes are owner-occupied. 8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 24% national rate. That trails the New Jersey median by roughly 41%. The median age is 30.5, younger than the US median of 35.2. 22.2% of locals live below the federal poverty line.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $42,589
Younger
median age 30.5
US median: 35.2
Less educated
8% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 24%
More affordable
home values down 17%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $120,530
Section 01

Population & growth

149,222
+6%since 1990
from 140,891 in 1990
1990 – 2025
30.5
+2%since 1990
from 29.8 in 1990
US average: 35.2
Land area
8.41 sq mi
Population, 19902024
139K145K150K156K162K19902000201020202024Paterson
2024159K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2000
Under 58.4%(12,578)
US avg: 6.8%
5 to 98.7%(12,987)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 148.2%(12,173)
US avg: 7.3%
15 to 197.7%(11,446)
US avg: 7.2%
20 to 248%(11,937)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3416.5%(24,647)
US avg: 14.2%
35 to 4415.5%(23,082)
US avg: 16%
45 to 5411.3%(16,843)
US avg: 13.4%
55 to 647.5%(11,130)
US avg: 8.6%
65 to 744.6%(6,937)
US avg: 6.5%
75 to 842.8%(4,106)
US avg: 4.4%
85 and over0.9%(1,356)
US avg: 1.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$32,778
−8%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $26,960 in 1990
US average: $42,589
1990 – 2024
$13,257
+26%since 1990
from $10,518 in 1990
US average: $21,522
22.2%
+3.7 ptssince 1990
from 18.5% in 1990
US average: 12.4%
Section 03

Housing

$148,500
−17%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $136,300 in 1990
US average: $120,530
1990 – 2024
$696
+1%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $524 in 1990
US average: $602
31.5%
−2.1 ptssince 1990
from 33.6% in 1990
68.5% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

1990
White, non-Hispanic41.2%(58,052)
Black36.1%(50,799)
Hispanic / Latino40.5%(57,050)
Asian1.4%(1,913)
2000
White, non-Hispanic13.2%(19,765)
Black31.4%(46,882)
Hispanic / Latino50.1%(74,774)
Asian1.8%(2,728)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin
Dominican30.1%(47,708)
South American13%(20,713)
Puerto Rican9.7%(15,418)
Peruvian6.6%(10,456)
Mexican4.6%(7,274)
Central American4.6%(7,250)
Colombian4.4%(6,927)
Salvadoran1.5%(2,416)
Ecuadorian1.4%(2,162)
Guatemalan1.1%(1,706)
Costa Rican1%(1,655)
Honduran0.7%(1,119)
+ 8 more hispanic origin groups with data
Venezuelan0.3%(518)
Cuban0.3%(434)
Argentine0.2%(388)
Spaniard0.2%(372)
Nicaraguan0.2%(354)
Bolivian0%(73)
Chilean0%(65)
Uruguayan0%(61)
Asian origin
Asian Indian2.6%(4,066)
Bangladeshi1.2%(1,963)
Korean0.1%(145)
Filipino0.1%(145)
Pakistani0.1%(105)
Chinese0%(45)
Kazakh0%(1)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0%(26)
Ancestry
West Indian3.7%(5,822)
Jamaican3.2%(5,125)
Arab2.6%(4,122)
Italian1.5%(2,339)
American1%(1,546)
Palestinian0.9%(1,354)
Irish0.8%(1,208)
Jordanian0.7%(1,138)
Turkish0.4%(699)
Egyptian0.4%(657)
German0.3%(520)
+ 38 more ancestry groups with data
Haitian0.2%(318)
Guyanese0.2%(295)
English0.2%(290)
Syrian0.2%(276)
Polish0.2%(272)
Brazilian0.2%(239)
Moroccan0.1%(223)
Ghanaian0.1%(148)
Ethiopian0.1%(133)
Nigerian0.1%(121)
Russian0.1%(117)
Hungarian0.1%(110)
Portuguese0.1%(90)
French0%(78)
Serbian0%(75)
Scottish0%(66)
Dutch0%(59)
Swedish0%(36)
Iraqi0%(27)
Swiss0%(27)
Ukrainian0%(26)
Austrian0%(25)
Norwegian0%(23)
Armenian0%(20)
Greek0%(18)
Danish0%(17)
Romanian0%(17)
Croatian0%(13)
Barbadian0%(12)
Canadian0%(11)
British0%(7)
Section 05

Education

8.2%
−0.5 ptssince 1990
from 8.7% in 1990
US average: 24.4%
High school or higher
58.5%
+3.6 ptssince 1990
from 54.9% in 1990
US average: 80.3%
2.8%
Unchangedsince 1990
from 2.8% in 1990
US average: 8.8%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

15.9 min
−13%since 1990
from 18.4 min in 1990
US average: 17.6
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status
Men 15+
Never married42.4%(22,521)
Married48.3%(25,676)
Widowed2.4%(1,266)
Divorced6.9%(3,643)
Women 15+
Never married36.5%(21,311)
Married44.5%(25,933)
Widowed9.4%(5,479)
Divorced9.6%(5,588)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2000
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

19.5%
−6.6 ptssince 2013
from 26.1% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
25.7%
−5.5 ptssince 2020
from 31.2% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
5.7%
+1.0 ptssince 2020
from 4.7% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
13.0%
+0.2 ptssince 2020
from 12.8% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
47.0%
+5.9 ptssince 2020
from 41.1% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
0.4%
+0.1 ptssince 2020
from 0.3% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
30.6%
−4.4 ptssince 2020
from 35.0% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
54.6%
+4.7 ptssince 2020
from 49.9% in 2020
US average: 36.7%

Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.

Section 09 · Service history

Veterans

Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)16%(261)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)4.7%(77)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era41.4%(677)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War4.2%(69)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II2.6%(43)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 1,635 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Paterson, New Jersey?

Paterson, New Jersey has about 149,222 residents according to the 2000 Census.

What is the median household income in Paterson, New Jersey?

The typical household in Paterson, New Jersey earns about $32,778 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Paterson, New Jersey expensive?

In Paterson, New Jersey, the median home is worth about $148,500, and the typical rent is about $696 a month.

How educated are people in Paterson, New Jersey?

About 8.2% of adults age 25 and over in Paterson, New Jersey hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Paterson, New Jersey?

About 22.2% of people in Paterson, New Jersey live below the federal poverty line.

Has Paterson, New Jersey grown since 1990?

Yes, Paterson, New Jersey has grown since 1990. The population has added about 8,331 residents, a change of about 6 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →