Living Cost Compare
Baltimore

Maryland

$1,300/mo est.

vs
Paterson

New Jersey

$1,430/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,300 in Baltimore, MD versus $1,430 in Paterson, NJ. Overall, Baltimore, MD is roughly 9% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Paterson, NJ, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $59,623 in Baltimore, MD and $53,766 in Paterson, NJ — about 10% higher in Baltimore, MD. Maryland has a top state income tax rate of 6.50% and a 6% state sales tax; New Jersey has a top state income tax rate of 10.75% and a 6.625% state sales tax.

Baltimore, MD
Paterson, NJ

Rent

Studio
$1,050
$786
+25% in Baltimore, MD
1 Bedroom
$1,073
$1,183
+10% in Paterson, NJ
2 Bedroom
$1,353
$1,468
+8% in Paterson, NJ
3 Bedroom
$1,555
$1,729
+11% in Paterson, NJ

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$219,300
$335,400
+53% in Paterson, NJ

Income

Median Household Income
$59,623
$53,766
+10% in Baltimore, MD
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$59,070
$61,430
+4% in Paterson, NJ

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
36.1 yr
33.3 yr
+2.8 yr in Baltimore, MD
Homeownership
47.5%
26.2%
+21.3 pp in Baltimore, MD
Bachelor's+ (25+)
35.4%
12.5%
+22.9 pp in Baltimore, MD
Avg Commute
29.4 min
23.1 min
+6.3 min in Baltimore, MD

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
1,616.7
1,010.1
+38% in Baltimore, MD
Property Crime
4,202.6
2,391.4
+43% in Baltimore, MD

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
61.4°F
52.2°F
+9.2°F in Baltimore, MD
Annual Precipitation
42.4 in
49.0 in
+6.6 in in Paterson, NJ

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.94/gal
$3.94/gal
about equal

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$2.00
—

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
21.8
24.9
+14% in Paterson, NJ
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$22.57
$17.68
+22% in Baltimore, MD

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 Baltimore, MD
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 (MD / NJ)
6%
6.625%
+0.6 pp in NJ
Income Tax (top rate)
6.50%
10.75%
+4.3 pp in NJ

Baltimore vs Paterson — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Baltimore or Paterson?
Baltimore, MD is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,300 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 9% below Paterson, NJ's $1,430, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Baltimore than in Paterson?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $43,000 a year in Baltimore versus $47,000 in Paterson.
Which has lower taxes, Baltimore or Paterson?
Baltimore is taxed under Maryland's rules (a top state income tax rate of 6.50% and a 6% 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).