Passaic, NJ

Census place 3456550 · pop 70,002

F26/ 100
💀 Bad
F
in NJ
📍 New Jersey ranks #43 of 50 states →
🏆 Air38 AQI · top 23%
🚽 Own23.8% · bottom 1%
Taxes
2.33% property · US 0.99%6.60% sales · US 7.00%up to 10.75% income · US 4.63%

Sales & income are statewide.

The breakdown — worst first

Homeownership23.8%1

U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities

23.8% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.

Uninsured adults33.6%1

U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities

33.6% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.

Physical inactivity42.0%1

U.S. median 26.5% · worse than most cities

42.0% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.

Property-tax burden2.33%5

U.S. median 0.99% · worse than most cities

2.33% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.

Violent crime rate719/100k8

U.S. median 152/100k · worse than most cities

719 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.

Unemployment rateCounty-level5.2%10

U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities

5.2% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Poverty rate22.9%12

U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities

22.9% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.

Bachelor's degree or higher16.7%14

U.S. median 24.3% · worse than most cities

16.7% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.

Median household income$55,37121

U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities

$55,371 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.

Income inequality0.4821

U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities

Gini 0.48 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).

Adult smoking16.0%26

U.S. median 14.6% · worse than most cities

16.0% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.

Housing cost$429,90026

U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities

$429,900 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.

Population growth (5yr)-0.0%30

U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities

-0.0% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?

Poor mental health18.4%31

U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities

18.4% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).

Rent$2,068/mo31

U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities

$2,068/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).

Property crime rate1840/100k33

U.S. median 964/100k · worse than most cities

1840 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.

Commute time25 min40

U.S. median 24 min · worse than most cities

25 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.

Adult obesity35.9%43

U.S. median 36.5% · worse than most cities

35.9% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).

Natural disaster riskCounty-level90/10048

U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities

90/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Unhealthy air daysCounty-level2 days51

U.S. median 1 days · better than most cities

2 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Broadband access93.2%64

U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities

93.2% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Air quality (AQI)County-level38 AQI77

U.S. median 42 AQI · better than most cities

38 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Frequently asked

Is Passaic, NJ a good place to live?
By the numbers, Passaic scores 26/100 — a F (Bad) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is air quality (aqi) and its weakest is homeownership. New Jersey overall ranks #43 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
How safe is Passaic, NJ?
Passaic reports 719 violent crimes per 100k and 1840 property crimes per 100k — worse than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
Is Passaic, NJ expensive to live in?
Passaic has a median home value of $429,900 and typical rent around $2,068/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
What's the biggest downside of living in Passaic, NJ?
Its weakest measured area is homeownership (23.8%) — 1/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
What is Passaic, NJ best at?
Its strongest measured area is air quality (aqi) (38 AQI) — 77/100, better than most U.S. cities. (A county-level figure.)

Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.