New Jersey · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Passaic County, NJ

Prices around Passaic County, NJ run 12.6% above the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $87,522 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $2,324 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $92,960 a year.

Passaic County, NJ at a glance

Median household income

$87,522$7,294 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$2,324HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)112.6+12.6% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity25¢per kWh · EIA Residential NJ
Population521,012Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Passaic County, NJ?

HUD’s fair market rent for each size, against what a typical household here earns. Change the income to see yours.

Moderate cost burden (30–50%)
HUD Fair Market Rent$2,324Monthly market rent
Share of gross income31.9%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$92,960To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$2,188At 30% of $87,522
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

How much is rent in Passaic County, NJ? By bedroom, 2026

HUD's fiscal 2026 Fair Market Rents for Bergen-Passaic, NJ HUD Metro FMR Area, with the income each one takes if rent stays under 30% of it.

HUD Fair Market Rent in Passaic County, NJ, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$1,778$21,336$71,12024.4%
1-Bedroom Apartment$2,024$24,288$80,96027.8%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$2,324$27,888$92,96031.9%
3-Bedroom Home$2,835$34,020$113,40038.9%
4-Bedroom Home$3,618$43,416$144,72049.6%

Rent in Passaic County, NJ, with the wage each unit needs →

What a typical income covers in Passaic County, NJ

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $87,522 a year ($7,294 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$3,647/moRent ($2,324 2-BR), utilities (~$225/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$2,188/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,459/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $87,522 leaves after New Jersey taxes

Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and New Jersey tax on the local median income. Change the salary to see yours.

$87,522
$35,000$180,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$87,522
Net 77%
Fed 12%
NJ 4%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$67,017After all taxes
Monthly deposit$5,585Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$2,578Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate23.4%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$10,425 / yr
New Jersey state income tax$3,385 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$6,695 / yr

Living in Passaic County, NJ: common questions

What is the median household income in Passaic County, NJ?

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Passaic County, NJ is $87,522 per year (approximately $7,294 per month).

What is the average rent in Passaic County, NJ?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $1,778 for a studio, $2,024 for one bedroom, $2,324 for two, $2,835 for three and $3,618 for four, utilities included.

It is not an average of listings. HUD sets it at the rent 40% of recent movers paid or less for a standard unit, so a new lease on a nicer place will usually cost more.

Is Passaic County, NJ expensive to live in?

Prices there run 12.6% above the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 112.6, where the U.S. is 100. Rent moves the number most: housing is where places differ, while goods cost about the same everywhere.

How much do you need to earn to comfortably afford rent in Passaic County, NJ?

To keep a $2,324 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $92,960 a year, or $7,747 a month. That is 106% of what the typical household in Passaic County, NJ earns.

How much do you need to live comfortably in Passaic County, NJ?

On the local median income of $87,522 ($7,294 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $3,647 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $2,188 for everything else and $1,459 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $2,324 takes 64% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Passaic County, NJ?

Homes in New Jersey paid 25¢ per kWh on average (EIA). At 900 kWh a month, a typical use, that is about $225. Your bill depends mostly on heating and cooling.