Cost to Own
United StatesNew JerseyPassaic CountyPaterson Population 157,660 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-07-30

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Paterson, New Jersey

A $335,000 home here costs

$3,172

per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,722. The real number is $1,450 higher every month — 84% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Paterson median: $335,400
Under 20% adds PMI
Freddie Mac PMMS
US average household

Where every dollar goes

Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.

Principal & interest30-year fixed, $268,000 borrowed $1,722
Property tax2.908% effective rate for Paterson itself $812
Homeowners insuranceNew Jersey averages $1,309/yr (NAIC), or 0.294% of home value $82
Electricity23.27¢/kWh — New Jersey residential average, EIA $209
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $279
Total monthly $3,172

Paterson against Passaic County and New Jersey

MeasurePatersonPassaic County
Median home value$335,400$439,400
Median property tax$9,752$10,001
Effective tax rate2.908%2.276%
Median gross rent$1,457$1,553
Population157,660518,289

The weather behind that power bill

Paterson sits in Passaic County, which averages a high of 84.3°F in its hottest month and a low of 19.9°F in its coldest, with 48.2" of precipitation a year and 30% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 837 cooling and 5,635 heating degree days, which is what sets the $209 electricity line above.

See the full climate breakdown for Passaic County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.

Other cities in Passaic County

Full Passaic County cost breakdown · Every county in New Jersey

Common questions

How much does it cost to own a home in Paterson?

A $335,000 home in Paterson, New Jersey costs approximately $3,172 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,722 principal and interest, $812 property tax, $82 homeowners insurance, $277 utilities and $279 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in Paterson?

Paterson has an effective property tax rate of 2.908%, based on a median home value of $335,400 and median real estate taxes of $9,752. That is higher than the Passaic County average of 2.276%.

What is the average home price in Paterson?

The median owner-occupied home value in Paterson, New Jersey is $335,400, against $439,400 across Passaic County.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Paterson?

Median gross rent in Paterson is $1,457 a month, against $3,172 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.

Sources & methodology

  • Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Paterson — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
  • Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for New Jersey.
  • Electricity price — EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
  • Mortgage rate — Freddie Mac PMMS, refreshed weekly.
  • Maintenance (1%/yr) and water and sewer ($68/mo) are national estimates. Every assumption above is editable.

Full methodology