Bergen and Passaic Counties

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This metropolitan area of northern New Jersey has an estimated population of nearly 1.4 million, as of 2005, with nearly two-thirds living in Bergen County. Population was little changed since the 2000 Census, after growing by 7.4% during the 1990s. This area is fairly densely populated and can be characterized as a mix of urban and dense suburban. The city of Paterson dominates Passaic County, while the cities of Fort Lee and Hackensack are the largest in Bergen County.

The two counties differ substantially in their demographic and economic profiles. Bergen is one of New Jersey's most affluent counties, with a median household income of slightly over $71,000 as of 2005, while Passaic is one of the least affluent at $51,000. Similarly, educational attainment differs noticeably: roughly 43% of Bergen County adults over 25 hold college degrees, compared with just 24% in Passaic.

Like much of New Jersey, the area has a high concentration of pharmaceutical and medical equipment & supplies producers, as well as computer equipment manufacturers. This area is also home to a number of large corporate headquarters. During the last economic downturn (2001-02), overall job losses in this area were substantially steeper than in most of the region, and there has been little or no recovery in employment in the five years since.

Based on Census Bureau’s 2005 American Community Survey, the median home value was $362,000 in Passaic County and $466,000 in Bergen County—nearly double the respective values recorded in the 2000 Census. These compare with a nationwide median of $167,500. As in most of the New York metropolitan region, the housing market slowed noticeably in 2006 and 2007, and prices have shown signs of leveling off.