While big cities like Paterson offer culture, cuisine, and charisma, they also deliver terrible traffic, towering expenses, and a taxing quality of life.
With that in mind, we wanted to uncover the best suburbs around Paterson. These burbs have all of the benefits of being near Paterson without actually having to be in the city.
Of course, not all suburbs of Paterson are created equally, which is precisely why we set out to find the best ones. Using Saturday Night Science, we delve into the factors that matter most, from commutes and housing costs to community vibes, to help you uncover the perfect suburban spots in the Greater Paterson area.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 best suburbs to live around Paterson for 2024:
What’s the best suburb of Paterson? East Williston ranks as the best suburb of Paterson for 2024 based on the most recent Census and FBI data. If you happen to be a resident of East Williston, you’re probably not too surprised to find it on the top our list.
We’ll tell you what makes each of these 10 Paterson ‘burbs better than the rest–but first, a bit about our methodology.
Feel free to check out some more reading about New Jersey:
The 10 Best Paterson Suburbs To Live For 2024
1. East Williston, NY
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Population: 2,630
Median Income: $225,833
Unemployment Rate: 1.6%
Poverty Rate: 2.3%
More on East Williston: Real Estate
East Williston is always mentioned as one of the best suburbs in the Paterson area. We’ll tell you the good about “Awesome East Williston.”
Everyone here is rich; families average $225,833 a year, which is the 18th highest in the Paterson region. And only 1.63% are out of work. Homes average more than $1,172,966 each.
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Ho-Ho-Kus is the second best ‘burb we looked at near Paterson for 2024.
It ranks 5th for incomes in the area and only 0.0% of residents lack insurance, good for best.
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Population: 7,242
Median Income: $250,001
Unemployment Rate: 3.6%
Poverty Rate: 1.7%
More on East Hills: Data | Real Estate
Here in East Hills, it’s really safe, and residents are just about as rich as you’ll see in the Paterson metro area.
The bad side? Schools are more crowded, and the cost of living puts a large part of the city out of reach for most families.
But price is based on demand and a lot of people want to live in East Hills.
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Population: 6,570
Median Income: $206,850
Unemployment Rate: 3.5%
Poverty Rate: 6.5%
More on Bronxville: Data | Real Estate
Bronxville ranks as the 4th best suburb of Paterson for 2024.
You won’t find many better places to raise your kids in the region than in Bronxville and the schools are some of the best around.
The crime rate is bad. And everyone is rude.
I dont like how people are and how disrespectful they are.
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Coming in as the fifth best is Mountain Lakes.
Mountain Lakes gets kudos for having the 36th most expensive homes in the Paterson area, where houses sell for an average of $1,007,417. However, the cost of living here is among the highest in the area.
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Population: 6,590
Median Income: $184,569
Unemployment Rate: 3.1%
Poverty Rate: 1.8%
More on Irvington: Data | Real Estate
Irvington is proud of its 6th place finish on this list. And here’s why.
Most residents have great jobs and the unemployment rate sits at 3.08%.
According to online reports, Irvington is quickly becoming one of the more affluent suburbs in the Paterson area, meaning you need to get in soon.
Grew up in Briarcliff Manor, moved to Irvington after college and marriage. Had major culture shock after being transferred to REALLY boring town in the central part of,Virginia. Literally in the midst of no where, we are an hour away from any other town of any size.
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Population: 7,797
Median Income: $246,429
Unemployment Rate: 6.2%
Poverty Rate: 1.2%
More on Glen Ridge: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The 7th best suburb on our list goes to Glen Ridge.
Glen Ridge schools are some of the best in the region, and crime is really low. The cost of living makes it a lot more desirable for many families, especially first-time home buyers.
And, it’s only 7.9 miles to downtown, which is a good thing.
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Population: 4,787
Median Income: $250,001
Unemployment Rate: 3.2%
Poverty Rate: 4.0%
More on Flower Hill: Data | Real Estate
Flower Hill is growing quickly, and for a good reason. Crime is far below average, and most residents are gainfully employed. Even the cost of living is reasonable.
A solid 0.48% of people lack insurance, good for 7th in the area.
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Population: 5,682
Median Income: $250,001
Unemployment Rate: 5.2%
Poverty Rate: 1.6%
More on Pelham Manor: Data | Real Estate
Is ‘Everything Better In Pelham Manor?’
Almost.
It placed 9th on our list thanks to the fact that it’s really expensive to live here, but the schools are great, so you get what you pay for in that regard.
10. Essex Fells, NJ
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Population: 2,290
Median Income: $247,000
Unemployment Rate: 4.2%
Poverty Rate: 0.8%
More on Essex Fells: Crime | Real Estate
And rounding out the top ten for 2024 is Essex Fells.
This city is far above average in every category, and the best part? It’s far more affordable than the other cities listed above. So, you get a big bang for your buck here.
Methodology: How We Determined The Best Suburbs Around Paterson for 2024
Figuring out the best suburbs around Paterson was simple. We used Saturday Night Science to find things people like about living in the suburbs and then locate the suburbs with those things.
We analyzed the newest American Community Survey data for 2018-2022 to research each suburb. We decided upon the following criteria:
- Low unemployment rate
- High median household incomes
- Population density (lots of things to do)
- High home values
- A lot of college-educated people
- Low poverty
- High rate of insured families
We defined a suburb as being within 30 miles of Paterson.
Additionally, we limited the analysis to places that have over 2,000 people. This left us with a grand total of 206 suburbs to evaluate around Paterson.
We ranked each place with scores from 1 to 206 in each category, where 1 was the “best.
Next, we averaged the rankings for each place to create a quality-of-life index.
Finally, we crowned the city with the best quality of life index, the “Best Suburb near Paterson.” We’re lookin’ at you, East Williston.
This result may differ from our state-wide data as we did not include commute times and crime for this analysis to allow for a more extensive selection of suburbs.
We updated the data for 2024. This report is our tenth time ranking the best Paterson suburbs. Skip to the end to see the list of all the suburbs ranked from best to worst.
Summary: Welcome to the Best Paterson ‘Burbs of 2024
We said it once, and we’ll say it again–life in the big city isn’t for everyone. At least not all the time.
The best suburbs of Paterson are .
So if you’re craving the amenities of a larger city like Paterson but don’t want to deal with the drawbacks, one of these suburbs might be for you.
For more New Jersey reading, check out:
Table: Best Paterson Suburbs
| Rank | City | Population | Median Income | Average Home Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | East Williston, NJ | 2,630 | $225,833 | $1,172,966 |
| 2 | Ho-Ho-Kus, NJ | 4,234 | $250,001 | $1,173,280 |
| 3 | East Hills, NJ | 7,242 | $250,001 | $1,503,280 |
| 4 | Bronxville, NJ | 6,570 | $206,850 | $1,414,491 |
| 5 | Mountain Lakes, NJ | 4,499 | $250,001 | $1,007,417 |
| 6 | Irvington, NJ | 6,590 | $184,569 | $1,089,139 |
| 7 | Glen Ridge, NJ | 7,797 | $246,429 | $970,075 |
| 8 | Flower Hill, NJ | 4,787 | $250,001 | $2,272,864 |
| 9 | Pelham Manor, NJ | 5,682 | $250,001 | $1,213,121 |
| 10 | Essex Fells, NJ | 2,290 | $247,000 | $1,234,586 |
| 11 | Great Neck Estates, NJ | 2,936 | $175,515 | $1,900,729 |
| 12 | Port Washington North, NJ | 3,169 | $137,679 | $1,171,183 |
| 13 | Old Tappan, NJ | 5,863 | $195,833 | $993,658 |
| 14 | Munsey Park, NJ | 2,792 | $250,001 | $2,198,885 |
| 15 | Kings Point, NJ | 5,593 | $172,402 | $2,350,495 |
| 16 | Westfield, NJ | 30,839 | $203,235 | $1,040,776 |
| 17 | North Hills, NJ | 5,425 | $182,401 | $1,477,467 |
| 18 | Pelham, NJ | 7,261 | $172,692 | $1,115,333 |
| 19 | Chatham, NJ | 9,199 | $250,001 | $1,092,337 |
| 20 | Rye, NJ | 16,447 | $227,565 | $2,034,669 |
| 21 | Ridgewood, NJ | 26,043 | $211,224 | $978,934 |
| 22 | Scarsdale, NJ | 18,061 | $250,001 | $1,926,527 |
| 23 | Mendham, NJ | 4,968 | $212,550 | $938,574 |
| 24 | Demarest, NJ | 4,930 | $165,119 | $1,108,430 |
| 25 | Hastings-On-Hudson, NJ | 8,456 | $161,908 | $979,873 |
| 26 | Oradell, NJ | 8,208 | $196,023 | $793,885 |
| 27 | Franklin Lakes, NJ | 11,007 | $204,917 | $1,396,762 |
| 28 | Larchmont, NJ | 6,549 | $220,714 | $1,464,885 |
| 29 | Harrington Park, NJ | 4,826 | $183,138 | $825,981 |
| 30 | Stewart Manor, NJ | 2,244 | $151,250 | $865,724 |
| 31 | Glen Rock, NJ | 12,086 | $202,586 | $857,563 |
| 32 | Hoboken, NJ | 58,754 | $168,137 | $795,620 |
| 33 | New Providence, NJ | 13,595 | $167,188 | $806,187 |
| 34 | River Edge, NJ | 12,022 | $150,073 | $685,672 |
| 35 | Fanwood, NJ | 7,723 | $177,727 | $651,607 |
| 36 | Haworth, NJ | 3,342 | $215,972 | $943,022 |
| 37 | Floral Park, NJ | 15,892 | $153,659 | $769,798 |
| 38 | Sands Point, NJ | 2,702 | $250,001 | $2,811,165 |
| 39 | Park Ridge, NJ | 9,098 | $164,241 | $706,489 |
| 40 | Williston Park, NJ | 7,543 | $145,956 | $781,485 |
| 41 | Roslyn, NJ | 2,928 | $97,073 | $1,259,042 |
| 42 | Cresskill, NJ | 9,105 | $162,430 | $824,668 |
| 43 | Allendale, NJ | 6,817 | $163,875 | $891,873 |
| 44 | Lake Success, NJ | 2,825 | $239,000 | $1,686,919 |
| 45 | Ardsley, NJ | 5,013 | $243,594 | $844,517 |
| 46 | Hillsdale, NJ | 10,125 | $175,802 | $698,480 |
| 47 | Mountainside, NJ | 6,991 | $162,531 | $851,670 |
| 48 | Ramsey, NJ | 14,739 | $160,589 | $705,649 |
| 49 | Florham Park, NJ | 12,790 | $141,620 | $852,042 |
| 50 | Wood-Ridge, NJ | 9,978 | $132,901 | $617,275 |
| 51 | Sea Cliff, NJ | 5,062 | $181,375 | $956,983 |
| 52 | Piermont, NJ | 2,507 | $131,458 | $730,633 |
| 53 | Waldwick, NJ | 10,068 | $150,861 | $600,598 |
| 54 | North Caldwell, NJ | 6,625 | $215,000 | $1,001,940 |
| 55 | Briarcliff Manor, NJ | 7,395 | $208,988 | $943,253 |
| 56 | Edgewater, NJ | 14,394 | $136,806 | $641,816 |
| 57 | Tenafly, NJ | 15,299 | $207,652 | $1,066,620 |
| 58 | Thomaston, NJ | 2,750 | $134,107 | $1,264,600 |
| 59 | Metuchen, NJ | 14,958 | $154,339 | $566,292 |
| 60 | Norwood, NJ | 5,657 | $156,630 | $747,730 |
| 61 | Madison, NJ | 16,521 | $163,567 | $906,312 |
| 62 | Englewood Cliffs, NJ | 5,347 | $213,261 | $1,437,753 |
| 63 | Watchung, NJ | 6,417 | $157,065 | $905,582 |
| 64 | Woodcliff Lake, NJ | 6,096 | $227,500 | $1,021,125 |
| 65 | Montvale, NJ | 8,413 | $175,179 | $787,501 |
| 66 | Rutherford, NJ | 18,754 | $128,576 | $638,326 |
| 67 | New Hyde Park, NJ | 10,235 | $144,375 | $837,167 |
| 68 | Caldwell, NJ | 8,897 | $117,879 | $625,878 |
| 69 | Fair Lawn, NJ | 34,948 | $141,540 | $601,965 |
| 70 | Westwood, NJ | 11,241 | $160,466 | $617,848 |
| 71 | Great Neck, NJ | 11,060 | $128,457 | $1,274,040 |
| 72 | Peapack And Gladstone, NJ | 2,561 | $183,125 | $1,021,462 |
| 73 | Upper Saddle River, NJ | 8,313 | $234,476 | $1,204,841 |
| 74 | Silver Lake, NJ | 2,621 | $131,012 | $318,605 |
| 75 | Garwood, NJ | 4,542 | $107,823 | $568,373 |
| 76 | Mineola, NJ | 20,940 | $130,111 | $709,636 |
| 77 | Buchanan, NJ | 2,272 | $133,646 | $481,518 |
| 78 | Wesley Hills, NJ | 6,123 | $147,408 | $937,865 |
| 79 | Saddle River, NJ | 3,363 | $228,750 | $1,936,148 |
| 80 | Pleasantville, NJ | 7,430 | $167,841 | $858,680 |
| 81 | Upper Nyack, NJ | 2,142 | $188,229 | $790,095 |
| 82 | Morris Plains, NJ | 6,104 | $144,540 | $620,521 |
| 83 | Closter, NJ | 8,555 | $181,652 | $917,085 |
| 84 | Roseland, NJ | 6,221 | $135,451 | $686,003 |
| 85 | Dobbs Ferry, NJ | 11,431 | $144,000 | $860,831 |
| 86 | Kinnelon, NJ | 9,986 | $170,905 | $745,748 |
| 87 | Summit, NJ | 22,555 | $176,702 | $1,115,201 |
| 88 | Rye Brook, NJ | 9,920 | $199,965 | $1,008,631 |
| 89 | Midland Park, NJ | 7,022 | $136,326 | $623,608 |
| 90 | Emerson, NJ | 7,281 | $141,908 | $655,975 |
| 91 | Northvale, NJ | 4,769 | $120,278 | $633,189 |
| 92 | Great Neck Plaza, NJ | 7,443 | $97,022 | $461,075 |
| 93 | Oakland, NJ | 12,734 | $162,848 | $624,707 |
| 94 | Harrison, NJ | 28,721 | $151,038 | $1,124,534 |
| 95 | Ringwood, NJ | 11,692 | $141,800 | $504,128 |
| 96 | Bernardsville, NJ | 7,888 | $220,060 | $890,901 |
| 97 | Valley Stream, NJ | 40,288 | $122,048 | $655,780 |
| 98 | Manorhaven, NJ | 6,929 | $95,493 | $765,121 |
| 99 | Croton-On-Hudson, NJ | 8,237 | $166,087 | $692,679 |
| 100 | Leonia, NJ | 9,273 | $110,679 | $726,904 |