Is it cheaper to live in Morgantown or Paterson?

Morgantown, WV is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $950 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 34% below Paterson, NJ's $1,430, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Morgantown versus $47,000 in Paterson.

Which has lower taxes, Morgantown or Paterson?

Morgantown is taxed under West Virginia's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.82% 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).

Morgantown vs Paterson Cost of Living 2026

Morgantown

West Virginia

$950/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 $950 in Morgantown, WV versus $1,430 in Paterson, NJ. Overall, Morgantown, WV is roughly 34% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Paterson, NJ, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $42,245 in Morgantown, WV and $53,766 in Paterson, NJ — about 21% higher in Paterson, NJ. West Virginia has a top state income tax rate of 4.82% 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.

Morgantown, WV

Paterson, NJ

Rent

Studio

$836

$786

+6% in Morgantown, WV

1 Bedroom

$770

$1,183

+54% in Paterson, NJ

2 Bedroom

$969

$1,468

+51% in Paterson, NJ

3 Bedroom

$1,038

$1,729

+67% in Paterson, NJ

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$238,200

$335,400

+41% in Paterson, NJ

Income

Median Household Income

$42,245

$53,766

+27% in Paterson, NJ

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$47,350

$61,430

+30% in Paterson, NJ

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

24.0 yr

33.3 yr

+9.3 yr in Paterson, NJ

Homeownership

44.3%

26.2%

+18.1 pp in Morgantown, WV

Bachelor's+ (25+)

58.1%

12.5%

+45.6 pp in Morgantown, WV

Avg Commute

17.3 min

23.1 min

+5.8 min in Paterson, NJ

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

216.3

1,010.1

+367% in Paterson, NJ

Property Crime

1,976.4

2,391.4

+21% 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

53.0°F

52.2°F

+0.8°F in Morgantown, WV

Annual Precipitation

41.8 in

49.0 in

+7.2 in in Paterson, NJ

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.94/gal

about equal

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

15.4

24.9

+61% in Paterson, NJ

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$24.68

$17.68

+28% in Morgantown, WV

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 Morgantown, WV

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 (WV / NJ)

6.625%

+0.6 pp in NJ

Income Tax (top rate)

4.82%

10.75%

+5.9 pp in NJ

Morgantown vs Paterson — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Morgantown or Paterson?: Morgantown, WV is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $950 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 34% below Paterson, NJ's $1,430, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Morgantown than in Paterson?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Morgantown versus $47,000 in Paterson.
Which has lower taxes, Morgantown or Paterson?: Morgantown is taxed under West Virginia's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.82% 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).