Population 521,012 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Passaic County
Household size in Passaic County
| Period | Passaic County | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.07 | 2.79 | 2.77 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 3.15 | 2.85 | 2.82 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 3.08 | 2.82 | 2.78 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 3.01 | 2.79 | 2.76 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.06 | −0.00 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Passaic County is a place of big households: 3.01 people per home on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. Numbers like that usually point to plenty of families with kids. Since 2006–10, household size has edged down from 3.07, in line with the national trend. Only one other New Jersey county has larger households.
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 Passaic County
| Period | Passaic County | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.5 | 38.0 | 39.1 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 37.2 | 38.7 | 40.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 38.3 | 39.8 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 39.0 | 40.4 | 40.9 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.5 | +2.4 | +1.8 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Passaic County are younger than 39.0 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 36.5, in line with the national trend. Residents skew youngest in the southeast and oldest in the northwest.
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 Passaic County
| Period | Passaic County | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.8% | 13.1% | 11.6% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 16.8% | 12.8% | 11.8% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 15.5% | 11.4% | 10.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 16.8% | 11.6% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | +2.1 pts | −1.5 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are common in Passaic County: 16.8% of all households, against 11.6% nationally. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has risen 2.1 points, even as the national share fell. No other New Jersey county has a higher share of single-parent households.
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 Passaic County
Renters in Passaic County
| Period | Passaic County | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 44.7% | 47.1% | 33.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 45.8% | 48.7% | 35.0% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 47.2% | 48.8% | 36.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 46.9% | 48.6% | 36.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.2 pts | +1.5 pts | +3.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is far more common in Passaic County than nationally: 46.9% of households rent their homes, against 34.8%. Among homeowners, 37.3% have no mortgage at all, about the same as nationally. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 2.2 points, in line with the national trend. Few New Jersey counties have a higher share of renters: only two of 21.
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 Passaic County
| Period | Passaic County | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.5% | 9.1% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 9.5% | 9.0% | 9.3% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.8% | 9.1% | 9.3% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.1% | 7.9% | 6.6% | 9.6% |
| Change | −4.4 pts | −1.2 pts | −2.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Only 5.1% of homes in Passaic County are vacant, far below the national rate of 9.6%, which usually means strong demand for housing. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 4.4 points, 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 Passaic County
| Period | Passaic County | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1954 | 1957 | 1965 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1957 | 1958 | 1966 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1957 | 1959 | 1967 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1956 | 1962 | 1969 | 1980 |
| Change | +2 | +5 | +5 | +6 |
The housing in Passaic County is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1956, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The newest homes are mostly in the northwest, the oldest in the southeast. No other New Jersey county has older homes.
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 Passaic County
| Period | Passaic County | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,191 | $1,268 | $1,246 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,296 | $1,377 | $1,324 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,452 | $1,645 | $1,522 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,783 | $2,060 | $1,896 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$591 | +$792 | +$651 | +$606 |
Rent in Passaic County runs $1,783 a month at the median, utilities included, above the U.S. median of $1,571. Still, rents here are lower than in the New York area as a whole ($2,060). Rent has climbed $591 a month since 2006–10, up 50%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 34.5% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched.
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 Passaic County
Bachelor's degrees in Passaic County
| Period | Passaic County | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 24.3% | 35.0% | 34.7% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 25.1% | 36.7% | 36.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 27.1% | 39.9% | 39.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 29.7% | 43.6% | 43.4% | 35.6% |
| Change | +5.5 pts | +8.6 pts | +8.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
About three in ten adults 25 and older in Passaic County (29.7%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, a little below the national share of 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 5.5 points, in line with the national trend. Only two of New Jersey's 21 counties have a lower share of college graduates.
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 Passaic County
| Period | Passaic County | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 80.4% | 83.7% | 87.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 81.6% | 84.6% | 88.1% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 82.9% | 86.2% | 89.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 83.7% | 86.9% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.4 pts | +3.3 pts | +3.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in six adults in Passaic County never finished high school, well above the national share: only 83.7% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. The share with a diploma is up 3.4 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Only one other New Jersey county has a lower share of high school graduates.
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 Passaic County
| Period | Passaic County | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.7% | 7.9% | 7.9% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 10.0% | 9.5% | 9.8% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.6% | 5.7% | 5.6% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.0% | 6.9% | 6.4% | 5.4% |
| Change | +0.4 pts | −0.9 pts | −1.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Finding work has been harder in Passaic County: 8.0% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well above the national rate of 5.4%. Few New Jersey counties have higher unemployment: only two of 21. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's 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).
Passaic County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passaic County | 3.01 | 39.0 | 16.8% | 46.9% | 5.1% | 1956 | $1,783 | 29.7% | 83.7% | 8.0% |
| Bergen County | 2.77 | 42.9 | 8.9% | 34.7% | 5.3% | 1961 | $2,193 | 53.4% | 92.9% | 5.8% |
| Morris County | 2.71 | 43.4 | 6.0% | 25.7% | 4.3% | 1971 | $2,157 | 58.3% | 95.0% | 5.0% |
| Bronx County | 2.65 | 36.9 | 22.4% | 79.9% | 6.0% | 1958 | $1,512 | 22.3% | 75.0% | 11.7% |
| Westchester County | 2.76 | 42.3 | 10.6% | 38.2% | 6.7% | 1960 | $2,238 | 52.7% | 88.8% | 6.0% |
| Sussex County | 2.55 | 44.4 | 8.6% | 16.3% | 8.7% | 1972 | $1,719 | 40.7% | 95.4% | 5.2% |
| Suffolk County | 3.02 | 42.6 | 9.2% | 17.6% | 10.1% | 1970 | $2,356 | 41.3% | 87.2% | 4.5% |
| Monroe County | 2.75 | 44.1 | 10.4% | 19.8% | 19.8% | 1982 | $1,505 | 27.8% | 90.3% | 6.7% |
| Carbon County | 2.40 | 45.9 | 12.8% | 23.6% | 16.9% | 1965 | $1,079 | 19.0% | 90.7% | 7.7% |
| Columbia County | 2.36 | 42.5 | 7.4% | 30.5% | 11.7% | 1968 | $966 | 27.1% | 92.7% | 5.8% |
| Montour County | 2.26 | 42.7 | 9.8% | 31.5% | 4.0% | 1974 | $1,114 | 38.6% | 93.8% | 3.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Chester County, PA · Jefferson County, CO · Guilford County, NC · Greenville County, SC · Douglas County, NE · Delaware County, PA · Dane County, WI · Johnson County, KS · Clark County, WA · Camden County, NJ
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 Passaic County. 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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