Plainfield receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Plainfield
Paterson
Opportunity
55 · Bottom 48%
vs39 · Bottom 16%
Growth
62 · Top 29%
vs43 · Bottom 36%
Climate
63 · Bottom 30%
vs65 · Bottom 35%
Physical resilience
49 · Bottom 42%
vs36 · Bottom 28%
Housing affordability
65 · Bottom 27%
vs36 · Bottom 3%
Schools
32 · Bottom 25%
vs24 · Bottom 16%
Access
96 · Top 30%
vs95 · Top 37%
Economic stability
63 · Top 44%
vs48 · Bottom 28%
Measured values
| Metric | Plainfield | Paterson | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 55,236 | 158,735 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $85,908 | $55,997 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $30,960 | $24,403 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 9,269/sq mi | 18,868/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $410,800 | $360,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,767 | $1,548 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 44.8% | 26.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.1% | 6.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.9% | 1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.0% | 11.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 15.5% | 21.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 243 | 260 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.4 | 1.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 19.1% | -13.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 86°F | 85°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 21°F | 23°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 45.5" | 44.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 14 mi | 15 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 32.0 min | 24.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 32.4 | 33.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 27 | 49 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.12 | 13.17 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 9.4% | 7.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 31.8% | 26.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 76.9% | 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
Plainfield
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Paterson
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding, earthquake.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Plainfield
61
Your Score
57
Area Score
Paterson
48
Your Score
43
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Plainfield, NJ · Paterson, NJ · How this is calculated: methodology