Is it cheaper to live in Austin or Paterson?

Paterson, NJ is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,430 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 14% below Austin, TX's $1,660, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Austin than in Paterson?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $58,000 a year in Austin versus $47,000 in Paterson.

Which has lower taxes, Austin or Paterson?

Austin is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax); Paterson under New Jersey's (a top state income tax rate of 10.75% and a 6.625% state sales tax).

Austin vs Paterson Cost of Living 2026

Austin

Texas

$1,660/mo est.

Paterson

New Jersey

$1,430/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,660 in Austin, TX versus $1,430 in Paterson, NJ. Overall, Paterson, NJ is roughly 14% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Austin, TX, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $91,461 in Austin, TX and $53,766 in Paterson, NJ — about 41% higher in Austin, TX. Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax; New Jersey has a top state income tax rate of 10.75% and a 6.625% state sales tax.

Austin, TX

Paterson, NJ

Rent

Studio

$1,348

$786

+42% in Austin, TX

1 Bedroom

$1,457

$1,183

+19% in Austin, TX

2 Bedroom

$1,776

$1,468

+17% in Austin, TX

3 Bedroom

$2,127

$1,729

+19% in Austin, TX

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$512,700

$335,400

+35% in Austin, TX

Income

Median Household Income

$91,461

$53,766

+41% in Austin, TX

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$56,950

$61,430

+8% in Paterson, NJ

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

34.5 yr

33.3 yr

+1.2 yr in Austin, TX

Homeownership

44.4%

26.2%

+18.2 pp in Austin, TX

Bachelor's+ (25+)

58.2%

12.5%

+45.7 pp in Austin, TX

Avg Commute

24.0 min

23.1 min

+0.9 min in Austin, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

476.1

1,010.1

+112% in Paterson, NJ

Property Crime

3,290.7

2,391.4

+27% in Austin, TX

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

67.2°F

52.2°F

+15.0°F in Austin, TX

Annual Precipitation

34.9 in

49.0 in

+14.2 in in Paterson, NJ

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.58/gal

$3.94/gal

+10% in Paterson, NJ

Area: Texas vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

$1.25

—

Adult base one-way fare — CapMetro vs — (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

15.9

24.9

+57% in Paterson, NJ

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$31.89

$17.68

+45% in Austin, TX

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.00

$4.31

+8% in Paterson, NJ

Bread (lb)

$1.75

$1.92

+10% in Paterson, NJ

Eggs (doz)

$2.21

$2.19

+1% in Austin, TX

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.45

$6.90

+7% in Paterson, NJ

Chicken (lb)

$1.90

$2.19

+15% in Paterson, NJ

Bananas (lb)

$0.62

$0.69

+12% in Paterson, NJ

Average prices — South vs Northeast (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (TX / NJ)

6.25%

6.625%

+0.4 pp in NJ

Income Tax (top rate)

None

10.75%

+10.8 pp in NJ

Austin vs Paterson — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Austin or Paterson?: Paterson, NJ is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,430 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 14% below Austin, TX's $1,660, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Austin than in Paterson?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $58,000 a year in Austin versus $47,000 in Paterson.
Which has lower taxes, Austin or Paterson?: Austin is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax); Paterson under New Jersey's (a top state income tax rate of 10.75% and a 6.625% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).