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Passaic is a compact, densely populated city in southeastern Passaic County, New Jersey, occupying a few square miles along the Passaic River. It lies within the New York metropolitan area, about ten miles north of Newark and roughly twelve miles west of Manhattan, placing its residents within commuting distance of the region's largest employment centers. The city traces its origins to 1679, when Dutch settlers established a community called Acquackanonk on the river. For its first two centuries the settlement remained small and agricultural, but the nineteenth century transformed it. As water-powered industry developed along the Passaic River, the city became a center for textile and metalworking production. The Botany Worsted Mills, established in 1889, grew into one of the largest woolen mills in the United States and became emblematic of the city's industrial identity. That industrial expansion fueled rapid population growth, from a few thousand residents in the late nineteenth century to more than fifty thousand by 1910. Much of the growth came through immigration, particularly from eastern Europe; Hungarian, Slovak, and Polish communities put down roots in the city's neighborhoods, and later waves of immigration broadened the mix further. That ethnic diversity remains one of the city's defining characteristics. Today Passaic functions as a dense urban center within a larger metropolitan corridor. Its street grid, older brick and frame housing stock, and commercial thoroughfares reflect its industrial-era growth, while its proximity to Newark, Paterson, and New York City keeps it closely tied to the regional economy. The city remains a working-class community with a substantial renter population and an active small-business sector concentrated along its main commercial avenues.

Population 70,730

County Passaic County

Active Listings 131

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is Passaic in?

Passaic is in Passaic County, in northeastern New Jersey, within the New York metropolitan area. The city shares its name with the county and with the Passaic River, which forms part of its boundary.

How far is Passaic from New York City?

Passaic is roughly twelve miles west of Manhattan. NJ Transit commuter rail and bus service connect the city to Hoboken and New York, and driving takes about thirty minutes outside of peak periods, depending on traffic.

What is Passaic known for?

Passaic is known for its industrial history as a textile and metalworking center. It grew from the Dutch settlement of Acquackanonk, founded in 1679, and the Botany Worsted Mills once ranked among the nation's largest woolen mills. Its population of about 70,000 reflects generations of immigration.

What school district serves Passaic?

The Passaic City School District serves the city's public school students, operating elementary, middle, and high schools. Charter and private schools provide additional options, and Passaic County Community College serves the wider county from nearby Paterson.

City Guide

About Passaic City

Real Estate & Housing

Passaic's housing stock reflects its industrial-era growth. Much of the city is built out with attached and multifamily housing, including older brick and frame row houses, two- and three-family homes, and low- and mid-rise apartment buildings, alongside pockets of single-family houses. Because so much of the city was developed in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, architectural character tends toward compact lots and pre-war construction, and a substantial share of households rent rather than own. The city offers some of the more accessible housing in the inner-ring New Jersey suburbs. New construction is limited by the built-out footprint, so renovation and turnover of existing properties shape most of the market.

Neighborhoods

Passaic's neighborhoods grew up around its mills and later expanded northward and eastward. The city is organized along the Passaic River and its main north-south commercial corridors, with distinct residential districts reflecting successive waves of settlement. Blocks near the river retain some of the oldest housing, while areas farther from the center developed later as the city expanded. Commercial avenues function as neighborhood anchors, lined with shops, bakeries, and restaurants serving the city's diverse population. The compact grid makes most neighborhoods highly walkable, and residential streets sit close to daily services and transit stops.

Lifestyle in Passaic City

Passaic's cultural life is tied closely to its immigrant heritage. Restaurants, bakeries, and markets along its commercial corridors reflect the city's eastern European, Latin American, and Middle Eastern communities, and the food scene draws residents from surrounding towns. The dense, walkable center supports an active street life, with small businesses forming the backbone of daily commerce. As part of Passaic County, residents have access to a broader network of parks, cultural institutions, and events in neighboring Paterson and Clifton, while New York City remains a short rail or bus trip away.

Schools & Education

Public education in Passaic is provided by the Passaic City School District, which operates elementary, middle, and high schools across the city, supplemented by charter and private school options. Passaic County Community College serves the wider county from its main campus in nearby Paterson, offering two-year degree and continuing-education programs. Families also benefit from proximity to a dense network of higher-education institutions across northern New Jersey and the New York region.

Getting Around

Passaic is well connected to the surrounding region. NJ Transit commuter rail serves the city with a station on the Main and Bergen County lines, providing service toward Hoboken and connections into New York City, and local and express bus routes add transit coverage. The city sits within a short drive of major corridors including Route 21, Interstate 80, and the Garden State Parkway. Newark Liberty International Airport and the region's port facilities lie within roughly a half-hour drive, reinforcing Passaic's position within the New York metropolitan area.

Parks & Recreation

The Passaic River is the city's defining natural feature, and riverside parks offer green space within the dense urban fabric. Just across the river in neighboring Paterson, the Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park preserves one of the nation's largest waterfalls and a landmark of early American industry, drawing visitors from across the region. County parks and athletic facilities in surrounding municipalities extend recreational options, and the city's walkable neighborhoods make local parks and playgrounds an everyday resource for residents.