HomeNew JerseyPassaic County
Passaic County, New Jersey: commercial real estate data.
Passaic County, New Jersey had an estimated 526,597 residents on July 1, 2024, up 0.3 percent since the 2020 census base of 525,066, across 185 square miles. County output reached $29.07 bn in 2024, 12,406 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 689 7(a) approvals worth $283.4 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Passaic County
How many people live in Passaic County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024521,012
- Households178,936
- Average household size2.91
- Median household income$87,522
- Median age38.1
- Median gross rent$1,621 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$459,500
- Home value to household income5.3 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income22.2 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher30.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree10.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over349,460
- Population under 18123,141
- Share under 1823.6 percent
- Population 65 and over82,632
- Share 65 and over15.9 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 64315,239
- Civilian labor force272,856
- Unemployment rate8.0 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over68.6 percent
- Rank by population among New Jersey counties9th of 21
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included139th of 3,222
Passaic County is the 9th largest of 21 New Jersey counties by population. A median home costs 5.3 times median household income, which is severely unaffordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 23.6 percent against 15.9 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Passaic County
Is Passaic County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 2024526,597
- Census 2020 base population525,066
- Population change since the 2020 census base0.29 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 20246,378
- Births, 20246,351
- Deaths, 20243,842
- Natural change, 20242,509
- Net domestic migration, 2024-5,848
- Net international migration, 20249,710
- Total net migration, 20243,862
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-30,394
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1722nd of 3,144
The county has grown 0.29 percent since the 2020 census base. The population grew in 2024 from both sources: births exceeded deaths and more people moved in than left.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Passaic County
Where are people moving to Passaic County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving10,629
- People arriving, from those returns17,955
- Tax returns filed by households leaving14,504
- Net household movement-3,875
- Adjusted gross income arriving$790.0 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-344.3 m
- Average income of an arriving household$74,324
- Average income of a leaving household$78,203
- Largest single originBergen County (2,845 households)
- Largest single destinationBergen County (2,921 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bergen County | 2,845 | 4,911 | $216.2 m |
| Essex County | 1,175 | 1,921 | $89.8 m |
| Hudson County | 885 | 1,550 | $77.5 m |
| Morris County | 750 | 1,151 | $75.3 m |
| Bronx County | 585 | 1,093 | $25.4 m |
| Queens County | 357 | 733 | $26.2 m |
| Kings County | 337 | 572 | $23.7 m |
| New York County | 321 | 549 | $37.5 m |
Households arriving report $3,879 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. The largest single source of arrivals is Bergen County, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Passaic County
What is the Passaic County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$29.07 bn
- County GDP, 2023$27.67 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20245.1 percent
- GDP change over five years34.0 percent
- Rank by GDP among the New Jersey areas BEA publishes13th of 21
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes200th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$55,803
Output grew 5.1 percent in the latest year and 34.0 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Passaic County
Employment by industry in Passaic County
- Covered employment, annual average170,830
- Establishments reporting15,191
- Average annual pay$63,668
- Average weekly wage$1,224
- Health care and social assistance, employment30,642
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$58,201
- Retail trade, employment22,488
- Retail trade, average annual pay$43,994
- Manufacturing, employment18,322
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$78,204
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment12,990
- Administrative and support and waste management services, average annual pay$47,579
- Accommodation and food services, employment11,394
- Wholesale trade, employment9,156
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 30,642 | 4,235 | $58,201 |
| Retail trade | 22,488 | 1,686 | $43,994 |
| Manufacturing | 18,322 | 662 | $78,204 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 12,990 | 871 | $47,579 |
| Accommodation and food services | 11,394 | 1,025 | $29,621 |
| Wholesale trade | 9,156 | 711 | $78,647 |
| Construction | 7,851 | 1,196 | $85,195 |
| Other services, except public administration | 6,933 | 1,144 | $42,496 |
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 30,642 jobs, 17.9 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Passaic County
How many businesses are in Passaic County?
- Establishments, all industries12,406
- Employment at those establishments146,956
- Annual payroll$8.96 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents23.8
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Passaic County
Building permits in Passaic County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024852
- Declared construction value permitted$82.5 m
- Single family units authorized209
- Multifamily units authorized643
- Multifamily share of units75.5 percent
- Average declared value per unit$96,778
- Units authorized per 1,000 households4.8
Multifamily is 75.5 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is being built for renters rather than buyers.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Passaic County
SBA loans in Passaic County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded689
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$283.4 m
- Average 7(a) approval$411,356
- Median 7(a) approval$120,000
- 10th percentile approval$20,800
- 90th percentile approval$1,224,000
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)5,926
- Jobs per approval8.6
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active78
- Distinct industries receiving approvals229
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer13.5 percent
- Loans on real estate terms93
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter580
- Franchise loans36
- Franchise share of approvals5.2 percent
- Leading industry by approval countResidential Remodelers (26)
- Most active lenderTD Bank, National Association (183)
- 504 approvals recorded108
- 504 gross approval dollars$134.7 m
- Average 504 approval$1,247,093
- Median 504 approval$866,000
- Distinct CDCs active6
- 504 jobs per approval14.0
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved11.2
- Most active CDCTrenton Business Assistance Corporation (58)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$418.1 m
The average approval of $411,356 sits well above the median of $120,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 13.5 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Passaic County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Passaic County
Do SBA loans in Passaic County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded126
- Paid in full95
- Charged off31
- Charge-off rate on resolved loans24.6 percent
- Status: Paid in full95
- Status: Cancelled109
- Status: Exempt from disclosure404
- Status: Charged off31
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed50
Of the 126 loans that have reached a final outcome, 24.6 percent were charged off. This is computed only over resolved loans, because a loan still running has not yet succeeded or failed and counting it either way would be wrong.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Passaic County
SBA lending by place in Passaic County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending31
- Paterson, approvals169
- Clifton, approvals144
- Wayne, approvals88
- Passaic, approvals74
- Hawthorne, approvals40
- Totowa, approvals23
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Paterson | 169 | $74,684,800 |
| Clifton | 144 | $57,642,600 |
| Wayne | 88 | $42,570,700 |
| Passaic | 74 | $27,435,200 |
| Hawthorne | 40 | $12,478,700 |
| Totowa | 23 | $8,787,600 |
| Little Falls | 22 | $8,934,700 |
| Woodland Park | 19 | $9,615,700 |
| 23 other borrower cities | 110 | $41,274,200 |
Paterson accounts for 169 approvals against 144 in Clifton. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Passaic County
How large is Passaic County?
- Land area185 sq mi
- Rank by land area among New Jersey counties18th of 21
- Width, east to west19.5 mi
- Height, north to south26.5 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary6
- Residents per square mile of land2,816
- Establishments per square mile67.06
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Passaic County
Flood risk in Passaic County
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book16
- Of those, participating in the NFIP16
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Best Community Rating System class in the county A lower CRS class is a larger flood insurance premium discount.Class 5
- Communities carrying a CRS class5
- Radon levels in Passaic County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/LZone 2
The EPA places Passaic County in radon zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. The best Community Rating System class among the county's communities is 5, which carries a flood insurance premium discount for policies written in that community. 100.0 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a Passaic County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Passaic County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024521,012
- Households178,936
- Average household size2.91
- Median household income$87,522
- Median age38.1
Common questions
Passaic County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Passaic County, New Jersey?
The Census Bureau estimates 526,597 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 521,012, in 178,936 households, ranking 9th of 21 New Jersey counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Passaic County's population growing?
The population has grown 0.29 percent since the 2020 census base of 525,066, to 526,597 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 6,351 births against 3,842 deaths, with net migration of 3,862. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Passaic County?
$87,522. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $459,500, which is 5.3 times income, and median gross rent is $1,621 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Passaic County?
12,406 establishments, employing 146,956 people with an annual payroll of $8.96 bn. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Passaic County?
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 30,642 jobs, 17.9 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 170,830 jobs at an average annual pay of $63,668, or $1,224 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Passaic County?
689 7(a) approvals totaling $283.4 m since FY2020, across 78 lenders, with a median approval of $120,000, plus 108 504 approvals worth $134.7 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
Do SBA loans in Passaic County get paid back?
Of the 126 loans that have reached a final outcome, 95 were paid in full and 31 charged off, a charge-off rate of 24.6 percent. Loans still running are excluded, because they have not yet succeeded or failed.
How many building permits were issued in Passaic County?
852 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $82.5 m. Multifamily was 75.5 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Passaic County?
Zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Passaic County come from?
The largest single origin is Bergen County, with 2,845 households. Arriving households report an average income of $74,324 against $78,203 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Passaic County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Passaic County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Passaic County
Cities and places in Passaic.
25 Census places lie wholly or partly in Passaic County. All 25 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paterson | city | 158,735 | 169 | Wholly in this county |
| Clifton | city | 89,379 | 144 | Wholly in this county |
| Passaic | city | 70,002 | 74 | Wholly in this county |
| Hawthorne | borough | 19,628 | 40 | Wholly in this county |
| Preakness | CDP | 18,520 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Woodland Park | borough | 13,355 | 19 | Wholly in this county |
| Ringwood | borough | 11,657 | 7 | Wholly in this county |
| Wanaque | borough | 11,206 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Pompton Lakes | borough | 11,047 | 15 | Wholly in this county |
| Totowa | borough | 10,959 | 23 | Wholly in this county |
| Oak Ridge | CDP | 10,954 | 5 | 24.1 percent here, 75.9 percent Morris County |
| Haledon | borough | 8,980 | 12 | Wholly in this county |
| North Haledon | borough | 8,778 | 10 | Wholly in this county |
| Bloomingdale | borough | 7,716 | 6 | Wholly in this county |
| Packanack Lake | CDP | 6,321 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Prospect Park | borough | 6,319 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Singac | CDP | 4,207 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Great Notch | CDP | 4,008 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Upper Greenwood Lake | CDP | 3,319 | None recorded | 87.2 percent here, 12.8 percent Sussex County |
| Pines Lake | CDP | 2,882 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Montclair State University | CDP | 2,853 | None recorded | 87.6 percent here, 12.4 percent Essex County |
| Hewitt | CDP | 2,417 | 7 | Wholly in this county |
| Macopin | CDP | 2,170 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Newfoundland | CDP | 1,361 | 7 | Wholly in this county |
| William Paterson University of New Jersey | CDP | 1,133 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 147 of the county's 689 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Passaic County, the largest being Wayne (88), Little Falls (22), West Milford (18). Those are postal cities, unincorporated areas and cities outside the county, so no place row claims them; they are counted in the county total above.