Babylon receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Babylon
Paterson
Opportunity
72 · Top 18%
vs39 · Bottom 16%
Growth
54 · Top 44%
vs43 · Bottom 36%
Climate
70 · Top 50%
vs65 · Bottom 35%
Physical resilience
95 · Top 4%
vs36 · Bottom 28%
Housing affordability
75 · Bottom 41%
vs36 · Bottom 3%
Access
89 · Bottom 40%
vs95 · Top 37%
Economic stability
81 · Top 6%
vs48 · Bottom 28%
Measured values
| Metric | Babylon | Paterson | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,185 | 158,735 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $140,820 | $55,997 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $69,257 | $24,403 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 5,054/sq mi | 18,868/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $658,500 | $360,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,427 | $1,548 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 78.6% | 26.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% | 6.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.5% | 1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 50.9% | 11.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 3.5% | 21.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 20 | 260 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.6 | 1.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 185.7% | -13.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 85°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 25°F | 23°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 38.3" | 44.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 24 mi | 15 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 34.6 min | 24.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 45.5 | 33.3 | 2024 ACS 5-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
Babylon
Elevated or high exposure: coastal flooding, hurricane.
Paterson
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding, earthquake.
Full profiles: Babylon, NY · Paterson, NJ · How this is calculated: methodology