Paterson, New Jersey

About

Paterson is the largest city in and the county seat of Passaic County, in the North Jersey region of the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, Paterson was the state's third-most-populous municipality, with a population of 159,732, an increase of 13,533 (+9.3%) from the 2010 census count of 146,199, which in turn reflected a decline of 3,023 (-2.0%) from the 149,222 counted in the 2000 census. The Census Bureau's Population Estimates Program calculated a population of 161,793 for 2025, making it the 165th-most populous municipality in the nation.

A prominent mill town within the New York–New Jersey metropolitan area, Paterson has been known as Silk City for its once-dominant role in silk production during the latter half of 19th century. It has since evolved into a major destination for Hispanic immigrants as well as for immigrants from Turkey, the Arab world, and South Asia. Paterson has the nation's second-largest per capita Muslim population.