07055 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
07055
07503
Opportunity
46 · Bottom 32%
vs40 · Bottom 20%
Growth
49 · Bottom 47%
vs39 · Bottom 32%
Climate
71 · Top 47%
vs71 · Top 47%
Physical resilience
36 · Bottom 28%
vs36 · Bottom 28%
Housing affordability
31 · Bottom 2%
vs39 · Bottom 5%
Schools
31 · Bottom 24%
vs28 · Bottom 20%
Access
98 · Top 22%
vs96 · Top 37%
Economic stability
53 · Bottom 38%
vs45 · Bottom 26%
Measured values
| Metric | 07055 | 07503 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 70,002 | 19,170 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $55,371 | $60,443 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $24,489 | $26,822 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 22,372/sq mi | 12,400/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $429,900 | $350,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,465 | $1,677 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 23.8% | 26.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.9% | 6.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.6% | 1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.7% | 17.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 22.9% | 21.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 93 | 260 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.3 | 1.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 40.9% | -13.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 87°F | 87°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 26°F | 26°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 46.3" | 46.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 12 mi | 14 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.7 min | 24.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 31.9 | 31.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 18 | 5 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.22 | 12.27 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 6.0% | 6.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 28.7% | 24.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 99.2% | 78.0% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
07055
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding, earthquake.
07503
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding, earthquake.
Full profiles: 07055 — Passaic, NJ · 07503 — Paterson, NJ · How this is calculated: methodology