Eatontown receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Eatontown
Paterson
Opportunity
67 · Top 28%
vs39 · Bottom 16%
Growth
43 · Bottom 37%
vs43 · Bottom 36%
Climate
71 · Top 48%
vs65 · Bottom 35%
Physical resilience
52 · Bottom 44%
vs36 · Bottom 28%
Housing affordability
68 · Bottom 30%
vs36 · Bottom 3%
Access
87 · Bottom 35%
vs95 · Top 37%
Economic stability
75 · Top 18%
vs48 · Bottom 28%
Measured values
| Metric | Eatontown | Paterson | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 13,575 | 158,735 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $90,463 | $55,997 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $50,005 | $24,403 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,324/sq mi | 18,868/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $492,400 | $360,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,601 | $1,548 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 58.1% | 26.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.0% | 6.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.6% | 1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 37.9% | 11.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 4.4% | 21.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 22 | 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) | -29.0% | -13.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 87°F | 85°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 26°F | 23°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 46.6" | 44.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 28 mi | 15 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.0 min | 24.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 49.0 | 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
Eatontown
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, earthquake, hurricane.
Paterson
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding, earthquake.
Full profiles: Eatontown, NJ · Paterson, NJ · How this is calculated: methodology