Places › New Jersey › Paramus

Living in Paramus, NJ

Suburb in New Jersey

Paramus is a suburb in New Jersey, home to about 27,000 people, with 14.0 million living within 31 mi. Day to day, much of daily life is walkable. Life moves at a fast pace, and homes are mostly houses with yards.

Is Paramus a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Strong healthcare: 30 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi
  • Easy flying: LGA is 16 mi away
  • Big job market: about 14.0 million people live within 31 mi
  • Highly educated: 50% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher, and 13 research universities are within 31 mi

👎 Cons

  • Pricey housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $977k, and rent is $6,510 a month
  • Higher taxes: about $2,267 state income tax per resident, 1.36% property tax
  • Cloudier than most places
  • Few dog parks: 19 within 9 mi

Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Paramus ranks against your own priorities.

Key facts

Population
27,000
14.0 million within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
43°F / 85°F
Average daily highs · 30″ snow a year
3-bedroom home
$977k
Typical value (Zillow)
3-bedroom rent
$6,510/mo
Incl. utilities (HUD)
Cost of living
113
US average = 100 (BEA)
Taxes
$2,267
State income tax per resident · 1.36% property tax
Safety
0.4× US
Violent crime vs US (FBI 2019)
Natural disasters
11 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly flooding
Top-rated hospitals
30
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Public schools
Excellent
Tests well above US average · 12 students per teacher
Adults with a degree
50%
13 research universities within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
LGA
16 mi away

Living in Paramus: common questions

What is the cost of living in Paramus?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $977k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $6,510 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are above the US average (index 113, where the US is 100).

What are taxes like in Paramus?

New Jersey collects about $2,267 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 1.36% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is Paramus safe?

Violent crime is well below the national rate (0.4× in FBI 2019 data).

How are the schools in Paramus?

Public schools in Paramus test well above the US average in math and reading (2018–19 state tests, put on one national scale with NAEP), with about 12 students per teacher.

What is the weather like in Paramus?

Paramus has cold winters: winter days average around 43°F and summer days around 85°F, with roughly 30″ of snow a year.

Does Paramus get natural disasters?

Natural disaster risk is low, mainly from flooding: 11 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.32 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to Paramus?

The nearest major airport is LGA, about 16 mi away.

How Paramus scores

Each bar compares Paramus with the other 1,990 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).

🏙️City sizeBig city Major metroSmall town
🏘️Urban or quietUrban & suburban mix Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting aroundMostly walkable Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or natureStrong culture scene Culture & nightlifeNature on the doorstep
🌡️ClimateCold winters Warm all yearLong, snowy winters
💰Cost of livingVery expensive Very expensiveVery affordable
⏱️PaceFast-paced Very fast-pacedSlow & calm
🤝CommunityTight-knit community AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡HousingHouses with yards ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housingPoor
💸Low taxesPoor
💼Job marketExcellent
🏥HealthcareExcellent
🏫SchoolsExcellent
🎓EducationExcellent
🧸Kids & familyExcellent
🐕Dog-friendlyBelow average
⛰️OutdoorsGood
🎭CultureExcellent
👮SafetySafe
🌪️Few natural disastersGood
☀️SunnyBelow average
🌤️Mild summersGood
✈️AirportExcellent

Places like Paramus

These places have the most similar overall profile across all 24 aspects.

The circle is each place's all-round score out of 100: the average of its 15 quality scores, from red (poor) to green (excellent).

Oyster Bay, NYBig city72 $975k$3,560/moNo crime data Westfield, NJSuburb75 $999k$3,540/moVery safe East Meadow, NYSuburb71 $818k$3,760/moNo crime data Plainview, NYSuburb72 $956k$3,560/moNo crime data Livingston, NJSuburb76 $909k$2,760/moVery safe Oceanside, NYSuburb70 $774k$3,270/moNo crime data

Nearby

Fair Lawn, NJSuburb · 3 mi away74 $701k$2,840/moVery safe Bergenfield, NJSuburb · 4 mi away76 $644k$2,840/moVery safe Hackensack, NJSuburb · 4 mi away70 $611k$2,840/moVery safe Teaneck, NJSuburb · 5 mi away76 $683k$2,840/moVery safe Garfield, NJSuburb · 5 mi away67 $591k$2,840/moVery safe Paterson, NJMid-size city · 5 mi away58 $508k$2,250/moModerate crime

See all the best places to live in New Jersey.

Is Paramus right for you?

Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.

Take the free quiz →

Sources: US Census ACS 2019–2023, Census State Tax Collections FY2025, Zillow 3-bedroom ZHVI, HUD Fair Market Rents, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, FBI 2019, FEMA National Risk Index v1.20, OpenFEMA disaster declarations, NOAA Normals 1991–2020, NASA POWER, CMS, NCES IPEDS 2023, IMLS, OpenStreetMap. How scores work.