East Orange, NJ vs Paterson, NJ
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
East Orange, NJ outspends Paterson, NJ by a wide margin per resident — $69,459 versus $16,110, a 331% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Paterson, NJ holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 64/100 (grade C) against 43/100 (grade D) for East Orange, NJ — a 21-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
Paterson, NJ reports no outstanding debt per resident in its Census filing, while East Orange, NJ carries $323 per resident. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: East Orange, NJ leads with education at $46,120 per resident, while Paterson, NJ leads with parks and recreation at $349.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 51% of total revenue in East Orange, NJ and 100% in Paterson, NJ.
Summary
East Orange spends 331.2% more per capita than Paterson ($53,350/person difference). Paterson, NJ has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (C, 64/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $0 | $17 |
| Sales Tax | $164 | $450 |
| Intergovernmental | $7,381 | $6,517 |
| Charges & Fees | $3,463 | $0 |
| Other | $885 | $1,614 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $319 | $142 |
| Highways & Roads | $346 | $168 |
| Education | $46,120 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $557 | $294 |
| Health | $623 | $138 |
| Hospitals | $2,311 | $2,937 |
| Parks & Recreation | $581 | $349 |
| Housing | $3,425 | $2,861 |
| Sewerage | $259 | $1 |
| Utilities | $4,177 | $71 |
| Other | $10,741 | $9,148 |
Compare More Cities
Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.