The Town FilesPassaic, New Jersey
City in Passaic County · population 70,537 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $429,900
- Household income
- $55,371
- Jan low / Jul high
- 26° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 28 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 10
- Median age
- 31.9
Passaic is a city of 70,537 people in Passaic County, New Jersey. The median home is worth $429,900, close to the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). It ranks more walkable than 100% of New Jersey towns, more vibrant than 98% of New Jersey towns, better for cycling than 93% of New Jersey towns.
How Passaic ranks
Percentile among New Jersey towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of New Jersey towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Passaic is worth $429,900, close to the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). Homes cost about 7.8 times the median household income of $55,371, which is more affordable than 4% of New Jersey towns. Median rent is $1,465 a month. 23.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Passaic | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $429,900 | $435,600 |
| Median rent | $1,465 | $1,774 |
| Median household income | $55,371 | $111,891 |
| Home value ÷ income | 7.8× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 23.8% | 80.8% |
| Median year built | 1938 | 1969 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.3% | — |
Who lives in Passaic
| People | Passaic | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 31.9 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 10.4% | 18.3% |
| Under 18 | 30.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.7% | 44.1% |
| Below the poverty line | 22.9% | 5.7% |
| Veterans | 0.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 41.4% | — |
| Work from home | 9.0% | 16.3% |
| Average commute | 25.3 min | 30.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.2% | 94.6% |
Weather in Passaic
July highs average 87.0°F and January lows 25.7°F. About 46.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 28.2 inches of snow (typical New Jersey town: 24.5 in). Expect about 29 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 89 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Passaic since 1950, compared with 9 for the typical New Jersey town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on August 7, 1962 about 5.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 29, 2021.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 44 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on July 8, 2021.
Severe weather in Passaic County since 1996
Passaic County has been included in 30 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 5, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4614: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| September 2, 2021 | Hurricane | EM-3573: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| March 25, 2020 | Biological | DR-4488: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3451: Covid-19 |
| June 8, 2018 | Severe Storm | DR-4368: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
Jobs and pay in Passaic County
Passaic County had 170,830 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $63,668 a year. Unemployment was 5.5% in 2023; in Passaic itself the ACS puts it at 12.5%.
Public schools in Passaic
21 public schools with 13,848 students, about 12.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Passaic High School No. 12 | 9-12 | 2,580 | 14.9 |
| Passaic Arts and Science Charter School (charter) | K-12 | 2,058 | 15.2 |
| William B. Cruise Memorial School No. 11 | K-8 | 867 | 12.4 |
| Passaic Preparatory Academy | 6-12 | 727 | 13.5 |
| Martin Luther King Jr. School No. 6 | PK-8 | 720 | 10.1 |
| Mario Drago School No. 3 | PK-8 | 711 | 11.3 |
| Passaic Gifted and Talented Academy School No. 20 | 2-8 | 710 | 12.9 |
| Passaic Academy for Science and Engineering | 6-12 | 694 | 13.1 |
| Mahatma Gandhi School Number 25 | K-3 | 667 | 14.2 |
| Daniel F. Ryan Elementary School No. 19 | 1-8 | 638 | 12.8 |
| Sonia Sotomayor School #21 | K-8 | 539 | 11.2 |
| Ellen Ochoa School Number 22 | 4-6 | 465 | 9.9 |
Towns near Passaic
- Wallington, NJ1.2 mi · 11,868 people · home $528,300
- Clifton, NJ1.7 mi · 90,296 people · home $461,900
- Garfield, NJ1.9 mi · 32,655 people · home $475,500
- Wood-Ridge, NJ2.3 mi · 10,137 people · home $566,200
- Lodi, NJ2.8 mi · 26,206 people · home $475,000
- Hasbrouck Heights, NJ2.8 mi · 12,125 people · home $552,900
- Rutherford, NJ2.8 mi · 18,834 people · home $603,600
- Nutley, NJ2.9 mi · 30,143 people · home $516,300
Passaic questions
Is Passaic, New Jersey a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Passaic scores better for retirees than 1% of New Jersey towns and quieter than 0%. 10.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 31.9).
How much does a house cost in Passaic?
The median owner-occupied home in Passaic is valued at $429,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $55,371, so homes cost about 7.8 times income. Median rent is $1,465 a month.
What is the weather like in Passaic?
July highs average 87.0°F and January lows 25.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 46.3 inches of precipitation a year and 28.2 inches of snow.
Does Passaic get tornadoes?
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Passaic since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on August 7, 1962. The typical New Jersey town has had 9.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)