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Passaic County, New Jersey Demographics 2026

Passaic County, New Jersey has a population of 521,012, the 9th most populous county in New Jersey. The median household income is $87,522 and the median home value is $459,500. The poverty rate is 13.0%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Passaic County Quick Facts

Population 521,012
Median Household Income $87,522
Median Home Value $459,500
Poverty Rate 13.0%
Unemployment Rate 8.0%
Median Age 38.1 years
Homeownership Rate 53.1%
Affordability Ratio 5.3x
Bachelor's Degree+ 30.9%
High School Graduation 84.9%
Cities/Places 24
Population 521,012 9th of 21
Median Income $87,522 15% lower than state
Poverty Rate 13.0%
Unemployment 8.0%

How Passaic County Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric2019–20232020–2024Change
Population518,289521,012+0.5%
Median household income$87,137$87,522+0.4%
Median home value$439,400$459,500+4.6%

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 14.5%
$25K-$50K 15.5%
$50K-$100K 25.7%
$100K+ 44.2%
Detailed income brackets
Under $10K
4.6%
$10K-$15K
3.8%
$15K-$20K
2.9%
$20K-$25K
3.3%
$25K-$30K
3.2%
$30K-$35K
3.0%
$35K-$40K
3.1%
$40K-$45K
3.0%
$45K-$50K
3.2%
$50K-$60K
5.6%
$60K-$75K
8.0%
$75K-$100K
12.2%
$100K-$125K
10.1%
$125K-$150K
7.5%
$150K-$200K
10.6%
$200K+
16.1%

Employment

8.0% Unemployment Rate State: 6.3%|National: 5.2%
66.3% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 53.1%
Renter 46.9%
Affordability Index Expensive
5.3x home value to income ratio
Median gross rent $1,621/mo 22.2% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Diversity Index

65out of 100
High Diversity

A diverse community with significant representation from multiple racial and ethnic groups.

State average: 66 | National average: 61

Education

Cities & Places in Passaic County

CityPopulationMedian IncomePovertyHome Value
Paterson158,735$55,99721.3%$360,100
Clifton89,379$98,2377.9%$461,900
Passaic70,002$55,37122.9%$429,900
Hawthorne19,628$110,2374.0%$533,700
Preakness18,520$133,2053.3%$617,700
Woodland Park13,355$98,8453.8%$497,600
Ringwood11,657$152,4142.5%$449,800
Wanaque11,206$113,1755.9%$400,700
Pompton Lakes11,047$124,4548.5%$442,400
Totowa10,959$113,5634.1%$559,300
Oak Ridge10,954$121,8755.8%$436,100
Haledon8,980$95,8708.5%$396,400
North Haledon8,778$125,3133.3%$547,600
Bloomingdale7,716$127,50011.9%$432,000
Packanack Lake6,321$213,1031.6%$601,000
Prospect Park6,319$53,12528.3%$406,800
Singac4,207$104,5192.8%$427,400
Great Notch4,008$162,1011.6%$580,400
Upper Greenwood Lake3,319$111,4662.2%$376,700
Pines Lake2,882$172,3484.7%$626,500
Hewitt2,417$189,1881.7%$466,600
Macopin2,170$139,8644.0%$389,800
Newfoundland1,361$138,3850.5%$434,600
William Paterson University of New Jersey1,133N/AN/AN/A

Explore New Jersey Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Passaic County is located in New Jersey with a total population of 521,012. It is the 9th most populous county out of 21 in New Jersey. The county encompasses 24 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Passaic County is 38.1 years. This is 5% lower than the state median of 40.1 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Passaic County is $87,522. This is 15% lower than the state median of $103,556. It is also 8% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 13.0%. This is 34% higher than the state poverty rate of 9.7%. The unemployment rate is 8.0%. This is 27% higher than the state rate of 6.3%. The median home value is $459,500. Housing costs are 1% higher than the state median of $454,400. The home-value-to-income ratio is 5.3x. 53.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 17% lower than the state average of 63.8%.

Race & Ethnicity

Passaic County is a highly diverse community where no single racial or ethnic group constitutes a majority of the population. White (non-Hispanic) residents account for 37.9%. The Hispanic or Latino population is significantly higher than the state average (44.3% vs 22.5%).

Education

30.9% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is among the lowest rates in the state, which may correlate with employment and income patterns. This is 29% lower than the state rate of 43.6%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 84.9%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Passaic County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against New Jersey and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Passaic County, New Jersey?

Passaic County has a population of 521,012, making it the 9th most populous county in New Jersey.

What is the median income in Passaic County?

The median household income in Passaic County is $87,522 with a poverty rate of 13.0%.

How many cities are in Passaic County, New Jersey?

Passaic County contains 24 Census-designated places.