Kinnelon receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Kinnelon
Paterson
Opportunity
79 · Top 8%
vs39 · Bottom 16%
Growth
40 · Bottom 31%
vs43 · Bottom 36%
Climate
65 · Bottom 35%
vs65 · Bottom 35%
Physical resilience
57 · Bottom 49%
vs36 · Bottom 28%
Housing affordability
91 · Top 29%
vs36 · Bottom 3%
Schools
81 · Top 13%
vs24 · Bottom 16%
Access
90 · Bottom 42%
vs95 · Top 37%
Economic stability
83 · Top 3%
vs48 · Bottom 28%
Measured values
| Metric | Kinnelon | Paterson | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,013 | 158,735 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $187,438 | $55,997 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $83,585 | $24,403 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 555/sq mi | 18,868/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $706,400 | $360,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,282 | $1,548 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 93.1% | 26.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.8% | 6.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.9% | 1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 65.4% | 11.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 2.0% | 21.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 2 | 260 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.2 | 1.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 100.0% | -13.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 85°F | 85°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 23°F | 23°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 44.9" | 44.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 23 mi | 15 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 37.1 min | 24.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 42.8 | 33.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 49 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 11.18 | 13.17 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 38.3% | 7.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 57.4% | 26.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 14.8% | 72.8% | 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
Kinnelon
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding, earthquake.
Paterson
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding, earthquake.
Full profiles: Kinnelon, NJ · Paterson, NJ · How this is calculated: methodology