Passaic County, New Jersey Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Passaic County, NJ Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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B
Health Around averageAmong the 3 least healthy counties in New Jersey
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C
Income Below averageAmong the 3 least wealthy counties in New Jersey
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D
Education Well below averageAmong the 3 least educated counties in New Jersey
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Passaic County | New Jersey Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 520,457 | 9,334,304 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 2624.0 | 1071.4 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.33% | 0.59% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 35.9 | 40.2 | 37.3 |
| Households | 178,663 | 3,503,323 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Passaic County grew by 6.1% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 520,457 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Passaic County is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 21.7% of residents. That is 1.6 points above New Jersey as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 113,009 21.7% +1.6 pts
- Millennials 29–44 111,267 21.4% -0.4 pts
- Gen X 45–60 105,968 20.4% -1.1 pts
- Boomers 61–79 82,267 15.8% -1.0 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below New Jersey, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 50.9% of the people living in Passaic County and men 49.1%.
- Women 50.9% New Jersey 50.9%
- Men 49.1% New Jersey 49.1%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Passaic County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Passaic County has a the economy index of C, which means it is somewhat prosperous.
| Metric | Passaic County | New Jersey Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $88,196 | $103,817 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.53% | 4.37% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 8.0% | 6.3% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Passaic County is about 15% lower than in New Jersey.
Housing
| Metric | Passaic County | New Jersey Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $376,251 | $352,792 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,621 | $1,719 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 53.1% | 63.8% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Passaic County is about 19.3 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,621 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Passaic County spend about 45 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 188 hours, about 7.8 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Passaic County | New Jersey Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 22.5 | 26.2 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 45.0 | 52.4 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 188 | 218 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $5,813 | $6,764 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 11.5% | 16.8% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 20,389 | 14,317 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 2,528 | 2,109 | 1,355 |
Fastest commutes among counties in
New Jersey:
Cape May County (18.1 min), Cumberland County (21.2 min), Atlantic County (21.6 min).
Slowest:
Hudson County (32.7 min), Sussex County (32.6 min), Hunterdon County (31.0 min).
The average commute time in Passaic County is 23 minutes, shorter than the 26 minutes in New Jersey.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Passaic County has a education index of D, which means it is barely educated.
| Metric | Passaic County | New Jersey Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.9% | 39.6% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.86 | 2.61 | 2.53 |
Highest education index among counties in
New Jersey:
Somerset County (0.4), Morris County (0.4), Hunterdon County (0.4).
Lowest:
Cumberland County (0.2), Salem County (0.2), Passaic County (0.3).
Health
Passaic County has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Passaic County | New Jersey Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 79.3 | 79.4 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 18.3% | 12.9% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 15.0% | 14.2% | 19.0% |
Highest health index among counties in
New Jersey:
Morris County (0.8), Hunterdon County (0.8), Somerset County (0.8).
Lowest:
Cumberland County (0.8), Salem County (0.8), Passaic County (0.8).
Passaic County, NJ Compared With Nearby Counties
Passaic County, NJ is typical in size for this group, 520,457 residents against a local median of 514,287, so the measures below are close to a like for like comparison. The measure that sets Passaic County, NJ apart most is median home price: $376,251, 30% below the local median of $539,796.
Median household income tells the same story from another angle: $88,196 against a local median of $110,073, 20% below it. The one measure here that carries a verdict is median household income, and at 20% below the local median it puts Passaic County, NJ at the weaker end of the local range. The counties themselves spread $404,865 on median home price, so Passaic County, NJ sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Passaic County, NJ has the 4th highest median home price of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passaic County, NJ | 520,457 | $88,196 #5/6 | $376,251 #4/6 | 22.5 min #1/6 |
| Bergen County, NJ | 960,507 | $124,895 | $592,908 | 27.0 min |
| Essex County, NJ | 861,155 | $81,239 | $295,435 | 30.3 min |
| Morris County, NJ | 514,287 | $137,937 | $539,796 | 25.8 min |
| Rockland County, NY | 340,860 | $110,073 | $698,715 | 22.9 min |
| Orange County, NY | 406,655 | $97,535 | $293,850 | 25.0 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Passaic County, New Jersey.
How many people live in Passaic County, New Jersey?
About 520,457 people live in Passaic County, New Jersey, in 178,663 households of 2.9 people on average. The median age is 35.9, close to the U.S. median of 37.3.
How densely populated is Passaic County, New Jersey?
Averaged over its land area, Passaic County, New Jersey has 2,624 people per square mile, a density typical of urban and suburban areas. That is about 30 times the U.S. average of 86.
Can a typical household afford a home in Passaic County, New Jersey?
The median home costs 4.3 times the median household income ($376,251 against $88,196), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $1,621 a month takes about 22% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
Is it hard to find a job in Passaic County, New Jersey?
Unemployment in Passaic County, New Jersey is 8.0%, well above the U.S. rate of 5.2%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
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