Is it cheaper to live in Henderson or Paterson?

Paterson, NJ is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,430 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 9% below Henderson, NV's $1,580, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $57,000 a year in Henderson versus $47,000 in Paterson.

Which has lower taxes, Henderson or Paterson?

Henderson is taxed under Nevada's rules (no state income tax and a 6.85% state sales tax); Paterson under New Jersey's (a top state income tax rate of 10.75% and a 6.625% state sales tax).

Henderson vs Paterson Cost of Living 2026

Henderson

Nevada

$1,580/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 $1,580 in Henderson, NV versus $1,430 in Paterson, NJ. Overall, Paterson, NJ is roughly 9% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Henderson, NV, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $88,654 in Henderson, NV and $53,766 in Paterson, NJ — about 39% higher in Henderson, NV. Nevada has no state income tax and a 6.85% state sales tax; New Jersey has a top state income tax rate of 10.75% and a 6.625% state sales tax.

Henderson, NV

Paterson, NJ

Rent

Studio

$1,442

$786

+45% in Henderson, NV

1 Bedroom

$1,437

$1,183

+18% in Henderson, NV

2 Bedroom

$1,694

$1,468

+13% in Henderson, NV

3 Bedroom

$1,982

$1,729

+13% in Henderson, NV

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$465,000

$335,400

+28% in Henderson, NV

Income

Median Household Income

$88,654

$53,766

+39% in Henderson, NV

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$46,670

$61,430

+32% in Paterson, NJ

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

42.5 yr

33.3 yr

+9.2 yr in Henderson, NV

Homeownership

65.6%

26.2%

+39.4 pp in Henderson, NV

Bachelor's+ (25+)

36.8%

12.5%

+24.3 pp in Henderson, NV

Avg Commute

24.7 min

23.1 min

+1.6 min in Henderson, NV

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

271.8

1,010.1

+272% in Paterson, NJ

Property Crime

1,725.7

2,391.4

+39% in Paterson, NJ

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

69.4°F

52.2°F

+17.2°F in Henderson, NV

Annual Precipitation

4.2 in

49.0 in

+44.9 in in Paterson, NJ

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$5.21/gal

$3.94/gal

+24% in Henderson, NV

Area: West Coast (PADD 5) vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

13.1

24.9

+90% in Paterson, NJ

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$13.83

$17.68

+28% in Paterson, NJ

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.82

$4.31

+10% in Henderson, NV

Bread (lb)

$2.04

$1.92

+6% in Henderson, NV

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

about equal

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.36

$6.90

+6% in Henderson, NV

Chicken (lb)

$2.01

$2.19

+9% in Paterson, NJ

Bananas (lb)

$0.70

$0.69

about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (NV / NJ)

6.85%

6.625%

+0.2 pp in NV

Income Tax (top rate)

None

10.75%

+10.8 pp in NJ

Henderson vs Paterson — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Henderson or Paterson?: Paterson, NJ is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,430 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 9% below Henderson, NV's $1,580, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Henderson than in Paterson?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $57,000 a year in Henderson versus $47,000 in Paterson.
Which has lower taxes, Henderson or Paterson?: Henderson is taxed under Nevada's rules (no state income tax and a 6.85% 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).