Westwood receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Westwood
Paterson
Opportunity
82 · Top 6%
vs39 · Bottom 16%
Growth
41 · Bottom 33%
vs43 · Bottom 36%
Climate
71 · Top 47%
vs65 · Bottom 35%
Physical resilience
47 · Bottom 37%
vs36 · Bottom 28%
Housing affordability
93 · Top 26%
vs36 · Bottom 3%
Access
91 · Bottom 49%
vs95 · Top 37%
Economic stability
78 · Top 10%
vs48 · Bottom 28%
Measured values
| Metric | Westwood | Paterson | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 11,283 | 158,735 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $165,781 | $55,997 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $65,689 | $24,403 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,995/sq mi | 18,868/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $606,400 | $360,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,458 | $1,548 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 62.9% | 26.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.8% | 6.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.5% | 1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 57.0% | 11.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.1% | 21.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 9 | 260 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.8 | 1.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -18.2% | -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 | 46.3" | 44.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 22 mi | 15 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.3 min | 24.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.4 | 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
Westwood
Elevated or high exposure: coastal flooding, earthquake.
Paterson
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding, earthquake.
Full profiles: Westwood, NJ · Paterson, NJ · How this is calculated: methodology