Is it cheaper to live in Jacksonville or Paterson?

Jacksonville, FL is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,320 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 8% below Paterson, NJ's $1,430, mainly because of electricity costs.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $46,000 a year in Jacksonville versus $47,000 in Paterson.

Which has lower taxes, Jacksonville or Paterson?

Jacksonville is taxed under Florida's rules (no state income tax 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).

Jacksonville vs Paterson Cost of Living 2026

Jacksonville

Florida

$1,320/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 $1,320 in Jacksonville, FL versus $1,430 in Paterson, NJ. Overall, Jacksonville, FL is roughly 8% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Paterson, NJ, driven mainly by electricity costs.

Median household income is $66,981 in Jacksonville, FL and $53,766 in Paterson, NJ — about 20% higher in Jacksonville, FL. Florida has no state income tax 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.

Jacksonville, FL

Paterson, NJ

Rent

Studio

$1,127

$786

+30% in Jacksonville, FL

1 Bedroom

$1,146

$1,183

+3% in Paterson, NJ

2 Bedroom

$1,385

$1,468

+6% in Paterson, NJ

3 Bedroom

$1,545

$1,729

+12% in Paterson, NJ

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$266,100

$335,400

+26% in Paterson, NJ

Income

Median Household Income

$66,981

$53,766

+20% in Jacksonville, FL

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$48,830

$61,430

+26% in Paterson, NJ

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

36.4 yr

33.3 yr

+3.1 yr in Jacksonville, FL

Homeownership

57.4%

26.2%

+31.2 pp in Jacksonville, FL

Bachelor's+ (25+)

31.8%

12.5%

+19.3 pp in Jacksonville, FL

Avg Commute

24.1 min

23.1 min

+1.0 min in Jacksonville, FL

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

558.4

1,010.1

+81% in Paterson, NJ

Property Crime

2,600.1

2,391.4

+8% in Jacksonville, FL

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

70.2°F

52.2°F

+18.0°F in Jacksonville, FL

Annual Precipitation

49.2 in

49.0 in

+0.1 in in Jacksonville, FL

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.83/gal

$3.94/gal

+3% in Paterson, NJ

Area: Florida vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

$1.75

—

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

15.1

24.9

+65% in Paterson, NJ

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$23.62

$17.68

+25% in Jacksonville, FL

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 Jacksonville, FL

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 (FL / NJ)

6.625%

+0.6 pp in NJ

Income Tax (top rate)

None

10.75%

+10.8 pp in NJ

Jacksonville vs Paterson — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Jacksonville or Paterson?: Jacksonville, FL is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,320 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 8% below Paterson, NJ's $1,430, mainly because of electricity costs.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Jacksonville than in Paterson?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $46,000 a year in Jacksonville versus $47,000 in Paterson.
Which has lower taxes, Jacksonville or Paterson?: Jacksonville is taxed under Florida's rules (no state income tax 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).