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County Real Estate Guide

Passaic County, NJ

Passaic County spans from the urban energy of Paterson — NJ's third-largest city and Alexander Hamilton's vision for American industry — to the mountain lakes of West Milford at the New York border. The county's 16 municipalities encompass some of the widest socioeconomic diversity in NJ, with 41% Hispanic population making it the largest bilingual market in northern New Jersey. Wayne anchors the suburban middle, while Ringwood and West Milford offer rural mountain living an hour from Times Square.

$480,000
Median Price
16
Municipalities
35 days
Days on Market
+5.8%
YoY Appreciation
55 min
Avg Commute NYC
103.5%
Sale-to-List Ratio
Paterson — Alexander Hamilton's industrial city, Great Falls National Historical Park
Price range from $300K (Paterson) to $900K+ (Wayne/Ringwood)
41% Hispanic — largest bilingual market in north NJ
West Milford — NJ's largest municipality at 80 square miles
Great Falls of the Passaic River in Paterson, NJ — 77-foot waterfall at the National Historical Park
Great Falls, Paterson
Passaic County Courthouse in Paterson, NJ — historic county seat building in the Silk City
Passaic County Courthouse, Paterson

Housing Market

Passaic County is appreciating at 5.8% year over year with homes selling at 103.5% of asking. The market splits dramatically: Paterson and Passaic City offer urban density under $400K, while Wayne and Little Falls command suburban premiums above $600K. West Milford and Ringwood provide mountain-lake living from $400-650K — a lifestyle that costs double in Connecticut. The county's bilingual market creates unique opportunities for agents who can serve both English and Spanish-speaking buyers.

Compare Towns

16 municipalities sorted by median price

Town Median Price Schools To NYC Tax Rate Est. Annual Tax Walkability
Wayne $650,000 8/10
45 min
Bus to NYC
2.23% $12,345
22
Ringwood $580,000 7/10
60 min
Drive to Wayne
2.23% $11,456
8
North Haledon $550,000 7/10
40 min
Bus to Wayne
2.34% $11,234
22
Totowa $525,000 7/10
35 min
Bus to NYC
2.34% $10,234
35
Little Falls $520,000 7/10
35 min
Bus to NYC
2.45% $10,567
52
Clifton $500,000 6/10
30 min
Bus to Port Authority
2.78% $9,456
58
Hawthorne $480,000 7/10
38 min
Bus to NYC
2.67% $9,234
55
Woodland Park $460,000 6/10
35 min
Bus to NYC
2.45% $9,567
32
Pompton Lakes $450,000 6/10
45 min
Bus to Wayne
2.56% $9,876
55
West Milford $430,000 7/10
70 min
Drive to Wayne
2.56% $9,890
5
Wanaque $420,000 6/10
50 min
Drive to Wayne
2.45% $9,123
18
Passaic $420,000 4/10
30 min
Bus to Port Authority
3.12% $7,234
82
Bloomingdale $400,000 6/10
55 min
Drive to Wayne
2.56% $9,123
28
Haledon $400,000 5/10
40 min
Bus to Paterson
2.89% $7,890
58
Paterson $380,000 4/10
40 min
Bus to Port Authority
3.34% $6,789
78
Prospect Park $370,000 5/10
38 min
Bus to Paterson
3.01% $7,123
62

Town Profiles

Wayne

$650,000
🏫 Schools 8/10 🏙️ 45min to NYC 🚶 Walk 22/100

Morris County-adjacent township with excellent schools and Willowbrook Mall. Wayne Valley and Wayne Hills HS both top-rated. Dey Mansion (Washington's headquarters). Terhune Memorial Park. Family-oriented suburban hub.

Ringwood

$580,000
🏫 Schools 7/10 🏙️ 60min to NYC 🚶 Walk 8/100

Mountain borough at the NY border. Ringwood State Park with Skylands Manor. Shepherd Lake and Wanaque Reservoir. Larger lots with elevation and views. Lakeland Regional HS. Nature-focused living an hour from NYC.

North Haledon

$550,000
🏫 Schools 7/10 🏙️ 40min to NYC 🚶 Walk 22/100

Hillside borough with elevation and views. High Mountain Park Preserve for hiking. Manchester Regional HS. Residential character with larger lots than neighboring Haledon. Growing families moving up from Paterson.

Totowa

$525,000
🏫 Schools 7/10 🏙️ 35min to NYC 🚶 Walk 35/100

Small borough with industrial-turned-commercial zone. Riverview Drive along the Passaic River. Totowa PAL sports programs. Passaic Valley HS. Quiet residential streets near Route 46 shopping.

Little Falls

$520,000
🏫 Schools 7/10 🏙️ 35min to NYC 🚶 Walk 52/100

Compact township on the Passaic River with Great Notch views. Downtown revival with restaurants. Passaic Valley HS. Affordable alternative to neighboring Montclair and Totowa. Improving property values.

Clifton

$500,000
🏫 Schools 6/10 🏙️ 30min to NYC 🚶 Walk 58/100

Passaic County's largest city with 90,000 residents. Allwood, Richfield, and Styertowne neighborhoods each have distinct character. Main Avenue commercial corridor. Clifton HS. Diverse and affordable with excellent highway access.

Hawthorne

$480,000
🏫 Schools 7/10 🏙️ 38min to NYC 🚶 Walk 55/100

Blue-collar borough with strong community pride. Goffle Brook Park. Hawthorne HS with active sports programs. Lafayette Avenue downtown. Affordable family-friendly alternative to neighboring Glen Rock and Fair Lawn.

Woodland Park

$460,000
🏫 Schools 6/10 🏙️ 35min to NYC 🚶 Walk 32/100

Formerly West Paterson — renamed in 2009. Garret Mountain Reservation overlook with Manhattan views. Passaic Valley HS. Mix of single-family and condos. Quiet residential feel near major highways.

Pompton Lakes

$450,000
🏫 Schools 6/10 🏙️ 45min to NYC 🚶 Walk 55/100

Lakefront borough on Pompton Lake with public beach. Downtown Wanaque Avenue shops. Pompton Lakes HS. Annual Fourth of July fireworks. Compact and walkable. Affordable lakefront living.

West Milford

$430,000
🏫 Schools 7/10 🏙️ 70min to NYC 🚶 Walk 5/100

NJ's largest municipality at 80 square miles. Greenwood Lake, Clinton Reservoir, and multiple swimming lakes. Abram S. Hewitt State Forest. West Milford HS. Mountain-lake lifestyle at half the price of northern Bergen.

Wanaque

$420,000
🏫 Schools 6/10 🏙️ 50min to NYC 🚶 Walk 18/100

Reservoir township at the base of the Ramapo Mountains. Wanaque Reservoir is one of NJ's largest. Lakeland Regional HS. Haskell section has small-town village feel. Outdoor recreation access.

Passaic

$420,000
🏫 Schools 4/10 🏙️ 30min to NYC 🚶 Walk 82/100

Dense urban city on the Passaic River. 72% Hispanic population — the heart of NJ's Latin community. Third Ward businesses and restaurants. Passaic HS. Walkable with strong public transit. Affordable urban living close to NYC.

Bloomingdale

$400,000
🏫 Schools 6/10 🏙️ 55min to NYC 🚶 Walk 28/100

Small borough at the Norvin Green State Forest border. Butler High School. Sloan Park. Affordable entry to western Passaic County. Hiking and mountain biking at the doorstep. Under 8,000 residents.

Haledon

$400,000
🏫 Schools 5/10 🏙️ 40min to NYC 🚶 Walk 58/100

Historic working-class borough. American Labor Museum (Botto House) from the 1913 Paterson Silk Strike. Manchester Regional HS. Compact, affordable, and culturally significant. Growing Turkish community.

Paterson

$380,000
🏫 Schools 4/10 🏙️ 40min to NYC 🚶 Walk 78/100

Silk City — NJ's third-largest city and birthplace of American industry. Great Falls National Historical Park (77-foot waterfall). Massive Dominican, Peruvian, and Arab communities. Historic mill district redevelopment. Deep value with cultural richness.

Prospect Park

$370,000
🏫 Schools 5/10 🏙️ 38min to NYC 🚶 Walk 62/100

Tiny borough of 6,000 with the most affordable homes in Passaic County. Haledon Avenue commercial strip. Manchester Regional HS. Dense, walkable, and transit-accessible. First-time buyer territory.

Ready to find your home?

George Castro and the Premier Homes team know every town in Passaic County.