Is Paterson, NJ dangerous? (Jersey City, Passaic: renting, crime rate, homes)

[Marv95]

Originally Posted by Busch Boy

LOL, I think it's hilarious how people formulate opinions based on hearsay. LMAO.

What do u expect from sheltered Jerseyites?

[SilkCity0416]

^^^ I hope and pray these sheltered Jerseyites, stay out of New York.

[Busch Boy]

Originally Posted by SilkCity0416

^^^ I hope and pray these sheltered Jerseyites, stay out of New York.

Don't worry, they won't go to New York. It's too ghetto for them. LMAO

[JERSEY201973]

My ass it's too ghetto, more like too commercial!

[nudnk]

The Totowa section of Paterson is still ok, although it's changing for the worse. I have an elderly Aunt that lives there and no matter the begging won't leave. Prospect Park on the outskirts of Paterson is getting nasty also.
Stay out of Eastside and Peoples Park unless you're well armed and not afraid to use it. About 6 months ago I was feeling brave, crossed the bridge at Haledon Ave and drove down River St for awhile, I won't do that again. It's bad.
Look at Hawthorne or Fairlawn, no bargin, but much nicer & safer.

[Marc Paolella]

I've been doing appraisals in Paterson for over 20 years and the only area I feel unsafe is the neighborhood around Rosa Parks Blvd north of downtown, and a few blocks in the Haledon section. The rest of it is fine. It's urban, but no big deal. No urban area is "safe", but 80% of Paterson is just like any other urban area where you have to be careful. Would I live in Paterson? Sure, in any of the better neighborhoods like Eastside Park, the Historical district, Totowa section, North end especially towards the East, Hillcrest, Garret Mountain. People kill an entire city like it's nothing, but it does not reflect reality in most cases.

[Busch Boy]

Originally Posted by nudnk

Stay out of Eastside and Peoples Park unless you're well armed and not afraid to use it.

Do you even know where People's Park is? It is not even dangerous. Cops patrol the business district on 21st constantly. There's another thread around here (titled "Neighborhoods in Paterson") that describes the different sections of Paterson. A couple of people, including myself, talk about the good and the bad sections of the city. I suggest you take a look at it.

[Justwannasay]

It was bad in 1980's when I lived in Clifton, I can only imagine what its like now.

[TheEmissary]

Originally Posted by Marc Paolella

I've been doing appraisals in Paterson for over 20 years and the only area I feel unsafe is the neighborhood around Rosa Parks Blvd north of downtown, and a few blocks in the Haledon section. The rest of it is fine. It's urban, but no big deal. No urban area is "safe", but 80% of Paterson is just like any other urban area where you have to be careful. Would I live in Paterson? Sure, in any of the better neighborhoods like Eastside Park, the Historical district, Totowa section, North end especially towards the East, Hillcrest, Garret Mountain. People kill an entire city like it's nothing, but it does not reflect reality in most cases.

Marc - I lived in Paterson for 53 years and after I retired, decided to move to NC to enjoy cheaper taxes. The house I lived in, my parents' house, is now up for sale. The problem selling it, is not so much whether the neighborhood is safe, it is relatively safe. I never felt the least threatened walking around my neighborhood the entire time I lived there. But the quality of the schools is a big factor. My house is located three blocks over from the Totowa border, but it could be 2 miles away from it and the perceived educational quality gap would remain. A choice between Passaic Valley HS vs JFK HS (my old alma mater) is a stark one indeed!

This limits the potential buyers of my house not due to a crime issue, which between my immediate neighborhood and much of Totowa Boro is negligable, but the gulf in quality of the schools. I watched enough of those HGTV shows (Hidden Potential) and saw a young couple who were looking for a cheap house in Wayne. I suspect that they would have never considered my house even if they knew the crime statistics, the schools would be a deal-breaker unless they were willing to consider parochial schools. If they could afford those schools, they'd probably be looking elsewhere anyway.

There are areas of Paterson that are still quite nice, relatively safe and as long as you don't have children or schools to deal with, not bad places at all, to live in. The taxes are actually not bad compared with what you would pay in many of the surrounding towns - but having said that, I prefer the $2300 I pay in NC on a 3000 sq ft house than the $5000 for my little Cape Cod.

[Busch Boy]

Back in the 1980's even Jersey City, Hoboken, and half of NYC were still undesirable. In general, crime isn't as bad in the northeast as it was in the 70's-80's.