Paterson NJ vs Sandy UT — Cost of Living, Crime & Income Comparison 2026

Updated May 2026 · Source: US Census ACS 5-Year (2023), FBI CDE (2023), BLS OEWS (2024)

Paterson, NJ

New Jersey · Population: N/A

  • Median HH IncomeN/A
  • Median Home Price$527,542
  • UnemploymentN/A
  • Bachelor's+N/A

Sandy, UT

Utah · Population: 94,723

  • Median HH Income$111,242
  • Median Home Price$672,082
  • Unemployment2.5%
  • Bachelor's+45.7%

Detailed Comparison

Demographics

Population
Paterson
N/A
Sandy
94,723
Pop. Density / sq mi
Lower = more space
Paterson
N/A
Sandy
N/A
Median Age
Paterson
N/A
Sandy
36.9
Foreign Born
Paterson
N/A
Sandy
10.3%
White
Paterson
N/A
Sandy
81.8%
Black
Paterson
N/A
Sandy
0.8%
Asian
Paterson
N/A
Sandy
3.5%
Hispanic
Paterson
N/A
Sandy
11.3%
Spanish at Home
Paterson
N/A
Sandy
N/A

Economy

Median HH Income
Paterson
N/A
Sandy
$111,242
Per Capita Income
Paterson
N/A
Sandy
$50,592
Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)
BEA MSA-level
Paterson
$77,416
Paterson +
Sandy
$60,713
Unemployment Rate
Paterson
N/A
Sandy
2.5%
Poverty Rate
Paterson
N/A
Sandy
5.5%
Bachelor's Degree+
Paterson
N/A
Sandy
45.7%

Housing

Median Home Value
Zillow ZHVI / Census ACS
Paterson
$527,542
Paterson +
Sandy
$672,082
Homeownership Rate
Paterson
N/A
Sandy
75.9%

Safety

Violent Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Paterson
218
Paterson +
Sandy
245
Property Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Paterson
1426
Paterson +
Sandy
1931

Health

Obesity Rate
CDC PLACES
Paterson
37.5%
Sandy
28.5%
Sandy +
Diabetes Rate
CDC PLACES
Paterson
16.1%
Sandy
8.4%
Sandy +
Poor Mental Health
CDC PLACES — 14+ days/month
Paterson
18.6%
Sandy
16.5%
Sandy +
No Health Insurance
CDC PLACES
Paterson
28.6%
Sandy
8.7%
Sandy +
Binge Drinking
CDC PLACES
Paterson
14.3%
Paterson +
Sandy
15.2%
Current Smokers
CDC PLACES
Paterson
16.4%
Sandy
7.4%
Sandy +

Climate

Avg Annual Temp
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Paterson
N/A
Sandy
N/A
Annual Precipitation
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Paterson
N/A
Sandy
N/A

Air Quality

PM2.5 Annual Avg
EPA AQS (state-level est.)
Paterson
8.7 µg/m³
Sandy
7.0 µg/m³
Sandy +
Good Air Days
AQI ≤ 50
Paterson
75.0%
Sandy
75.0%
Tie

Commute

Mean Commute Time
Census ACS
Paterson
N/A
Sandy
24.6 min

Which City is Right for You?

Paterson offers more affordable housing with a median home price of $527,542. On public safety, Paterson is safer with a violent crime rate of 218 per 100,000 residents, compared to 245 in Sandy. Sandy has cleaner air (PM2.5 avg 7.0 µg/m³). For overall health outcomes, Sandy scores better with a lower obesity rate of 28.5%.

Compare More Cities

About Paterson & Sandy