Garfield, NJ vs Passaic, NJ

Passaic is moderately more affordable than Garfield, with a 9.2% lower cost of living index. Garfield scores 126 compared to 115 for Passaic, where the US average is 100. This difference means residents of Garfield can expect to pay noticeably more for everyday expenses, housing, and services.

On the housing front, median rent in Garfield is $1,612/month compared to $1,392/month in Passaic — a 16% difference. Home values follow the same pattern: Passaic is more affordable at $406,500 median vs $454,300.

Median household income in Garfield is $75,701 compared to $56,780 in Passaic (+33.3%). While Garfield is more expensive, its higher salaries more than compensate — residents there may actually end up with more disposable income. Looking at affordability, residents of Garfield spend roughly 25.6% of their income on rent, less than the 29.4% in Passaic.