Signals
Woodbridge
Paterson
Opportunity
66 · Top 29%
vs39 · Bottom 16%
Climate
71 · Top 48%
vs65 · Bottom 35%
Physical resilience
46 · Bottom 36%
vs36 · Bottom 28%
Housing affordability
78 · Bottom 46%
vs36 · Bottom 3%
Schools
47 · Bottom 44%
vs24 · Bottom 16%
Access
98 · Top 20%
vs95 · Top 37%
Economic stability
66 · Top 38%
vs48 · Bottom 28%
Measured values
| Metric | Woodbridge | Paterson | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 20,756 | 158,735 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $104,926 | $55,997 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $46,419 | $24,403 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,507/sq mi | 18,868/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $390,000 | $360,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,091 | $1,548 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 52.6% | 26.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.5% | 6.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.6% | 1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 36.2% | 11.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.1% | 21.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| 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 | 11 mi | 15 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 32.7 min | 24.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.6 | 33.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 5 | 49 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.30 | 13.17 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 15.2% | 7.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 41.8% | 26.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 49.0% | 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
Woodbridge
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, 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.
Woodbridge
67
Your Score
—
Area Score
Paterson
48
Your Score
43
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Woodbridge, NJ · Paterson, NJ · How this is calculated: methodology