Population 11,572 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Downtown Paterson
Household size in Downtown Paterson
| Period | Downtown Paterson | Paterson | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.89 | 3.25 | 2.79 | 2.77 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 3.01 | 3.39 | 2.85 | 2.82 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.94 | 3.24 | 2.82 | 2.78 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.65 | 3.32 | 2.79 | 2.76 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.23 | +0.07 | −0.00 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
At 2.65 people per household, Downtown Paterson sits right at the national average. The typical household here is smaller than in Paterson overall, where it has 3.32 people. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.89, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Downtown Paterson
| Period | Downtown Paterson | Paterson | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.0 | 32.8 | 38.0 | 39.1 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 33.2 | 32.6 | 38.7 | 40.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 34.4 | 34.4 | 39.8 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 36.0 | 34.2 | 40.4 | 40.9 | 40.1 |
| Change | −1.0 | +1.5 | +2.4 | +1.8 | +2.3 |
With a median age of just 36.0, Downtown Paterson is far younger than the country as a whole (40.1), a population that tilts toward young adults and children. Still, the population here is older than in Paterson as a whole, where the median age is 34.2. The median age has dropped from 37.0 in 2006–10, even as the national median rose.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Downtown Paterson
| Period | Downtown Paterson | Paterson | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.2% | 24.3% | 13.1% | 11.6% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 23.6% | 26.8% | 12.8% | 11.8% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 23.3% | 24.5% | 11.4% | 10.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 31.1% | 26.9% | 11.6% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | +14.9 pts | +2.6 pts | −1.5 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are common in Downtown Paterson: 31.1% of all households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share is up 14.9 points from 2006–10, even as the national share fell.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Downtown Paterson
Renters in Downtown Paterson
| Period | Downtown Paterson | Paterson | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 88.2% | 69.8% | 47.1% | 33.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 91.7% | 72.9% | 48.7% | 35.0% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 92.5% | 74.0% | 48.8% | 36.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 92.2% | 73.2% | 48.6% | 36.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | +4.0 pts | +3.4 pts | +1.5 pts | +3.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Downtown Paterson rent: 92.2% of occupied homes are rented, far above the national share of 34.8%. Expect more apartments, and more turnover, than in owner-heavy areas. About six in ten owners (58.5%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 4.0 points, mirroring the country.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Downtown Paterson
| Period | Downtown Paterson | Paterson | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.9% | 13.2% | 9.1% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 8.3% | 11.9% | 9.0% | 9.3% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 10.1% | 10.2% | 9.1% | 9.3% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 8.8% | 6.5% | 7.9% | 6.6% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.1 pts | −6.7 pts | −1.2 pts | −2.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy in Downtown Paterson is close to the national rate: 8.8% of homes are empty, against 9.6%. The rate is higher than in Paterson overall (6.5%). Vacancy has fallen 2.1 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Downtown Paterson
| Period | Downtown Paterson | Paterson | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1952 | 1949 | 1957 | 1965 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1957 | 1954 | 1958 | 1966 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1951 | 1954 | 1959 | 1967 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1966 | 1955 | 1962 | 1969 | 1980 |
| Change | +13 | +6 | +5 | +5 | +6 |
Downtown Paterson is a place of older homes: half were built before 1966, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. Locally, though, homes here are newer than in Paterson as a whole, where the median home dates to 1955. The newest homes are mostly in the northwest, the oldest in the southwest.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Downtown Paterson
| Period | Downtown Paterson | Paterson | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $831 | $1,057 | $1,268 | $1,246 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $953 | $1,129 | $1,377 | $1,324 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,017 | $1,218 | $1,645 | $1,522 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,390 | $1,589 | $2,060 | $1,896 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$559 | +$533 | +$792 | +$651 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Downtown Paterson costs $1,390 a month with utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $559 a month since 2006–10, up 67%, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 35.4% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the northwest; the highest are in the southwest.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Downtown Paterson
Bachelor's degrees in Downtown Paterson
| Period | Downtown Paterson | Paterson | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.5% | 10.1% | 35.0% | 34.7% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 9.1% | 10.5% | 36.7% | 36.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 7.8% | 11.0% | 39.9% | 39.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 8.2% | 12.4% | 43.6% | 43.4% | 35.6% |
| Change | +0.7 pts | +2.3 pts | +8.6 pts | +8.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Downtown Paterson: 8.2% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 0.7 points from 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Downtown Paterson
| Period | Downtown Paterson | Paterson | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 57.6% | 71.5% | 83.7% | 87.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 59.7% | 71.7% | 84.6% | 88.1% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 68.1% | 74.9% | 86.2% | 89.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 68.8% | 74.1% | 86.9% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +11.2 pts | +2.6 pts | +3.3 pts | +3.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
Just over three in ten adults in Downtown Paterson never finished high school, well above the national share: only 68.8% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. The share with a diploma is up 11.2 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Downtown Paterson
| Period | Downtown Paterson | Paterson | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.1% | 8.7% | 7.9% | 7.9% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.8% | 11.9% | 9.5% | 9.8% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.7% | 4.8% | 5.7% | 5.6% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 15.0% | 10.3% | 6.9% | 6.4% | 5.4% |
| Change | +10.9 pts | +1.6 pts | −0.9 pts | −1.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Downtown Paterson runs well above the national rate: 15.0% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4%. Unemployment has risen 10.9 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate fell. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Downtown Paterson compared with nearby neighborhoods
| Neighborhood | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Downtown Paterson | 2.65 | 36.0 | 31.1% | 92.2% | 8.8% | 1966 | $1,390 | 8.2% | 68.8% | 15.0% |
| Albion Place | 3.02 | 41.5 | 4.4% | 19.8% | 6.3% | 1957 | $1,854 | 33.5% | 91.3% | 12.2% |
| Lake View | 3.05 | 39.7 | 11.6% | 57.4% | 4.3% | 1952 | $1,633 | 19.1% | 79.6% | 4.5% |
| Radburn | 2.86 | 39.8 | 12.2% | 39.3% | 4.7% | 1953 | $1,940 | 68.4% | 97.3% | 4.1% |
| Richfield | 2.12 | 49.1 | 5.3% | 43.3% | 1.5% | 1968 | $1,611 | 46.5% | 92.7% | 3.9% |
| Warren Point | 2.93 | 42.9 | 11.2% | 12.7% | 2.4% | 1953 | $2,190 | 56.4% | 96.0% | 8.2% |
| Passaic Junction | 2.53 | 42.5 | 6.3% | 26.7% | 1.7% | 1953 | $2,294 | 44.6% | 94.5% | 5.1% |
| Athenia | 2.47 | 47.0 | 5.9% | 55.6% | 3.6% | 1952 | $1,348 | 28.9% | 84.9% | 9.5% |
| Ridgewood Junction | 2.90 | 43.7 | 7.7% | 17.5% | 3.2% | 1942 | $2,030 | 61.2% | 95.4% | 4.3% |
| Allwood | 2.61 | 42.4 | 5.1% | 21.8% | 1.1% | 1950 | $1,759 | 50.9% | 94.3% | 5.4% |
| Downtown Ridgewood | 2.63 | 38.3 | 9.8% | 46.9% | 7.3% | 1950 | $2,465 | 73.5% | 97.8% | 4.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: East Falls, Philadelphia, PA · Marina-San Francisco, San Francisco, CA · Martha Lake, Lynnwood, WA · Edison Park, Chicago, IL · Meadow Point, Wesley Chapel, FL · Eastwood, Syracuse, NY · Eastwick, Philadelphia, PA · Midway, St. Paul, MN · East Village, San Diego, CA · Monta Loma, Mountain View, CA
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Downtown Paterson. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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