Paterson, NJ vs East Orange, 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: Paterson, NJ leads with parks and recreation at $349 per resident, while East Orange, NJ leads with education at $46,120.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 100% of total revenue in Paterson, NJ and 51% in East Orange, NJ.
Summary
East Orange spends 76.8% 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 | $17 | $0 |
| Sales Tax | $450 | $164 |
| Intergovernmental | $6,517 | $7,381 |
| Charges & Fees | $0 | $3,463 |
| Other | $1,614 | $885 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $142 | $319 |
| Highways & Roads | $168 | $346 |
| Education | $0 | $46,120 |
| Public Welfare | $294 | $557 |
| Health | $138 | $623 |
| Hospitals | $2,937 | $2,311 |
| Parks & Recreation | $349 | $581 |
| Housing | $2,861 | $3,425 |
| Sewerage | $1 | $259 |
| Utilities | $71 | $4,177 |
| Other | $9,148 | $10,741 |
Compare More Cities
Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.