Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US cities and towns.

Safety48#8,171/15,637
Economy81#2,923/15,631
Housing7#13,927/14,977
Health88#1,876/15,609
Healthcare68#4,998/15,650
Environment48#8,003/15,453
Education51#7,593/15,649
Infrastructure85#2,426/15,650
Community54#7,123/15,651
Leisure & amenities50#7,887/15,651

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Totowa, New Jersey ranks highest and lowest among US cities and towns (score = percentile, 100 = best). Values marked “Passaic County value” are the county’s: the source publishes no figure for this city or town, and the county holding most of its residents stands in.

Strengths

Grocery stores · high3.9 /10k
98/100New Jersey 2.4 /10kUnited States 1.7 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsPassaic County value
Suicide rate · low6.2 /100k
97/100New Jersey 8.0 /100kUnited States 14.1 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026Centers for Disease Control and PreventionProvisional dataPassaic County value
Access to exercise opportunities · high98.8%
95/100New Jersey 95.9%United States 84.5%2022 & 2024University of Wisconsin Population Health InstitutePassaic County value
Depression · low16.8%
95/100New Jersey 15.6%United States 20.7%2023Centers for Disease Control and PreventionModel-based estimate
Traffic deaths · low5.3 /100k
94/100New Jersey 6.9 /100kUnited States 12.3 /100k2020-2024National Highway Traffic Safety AdministrationProvisional dataPassaic County value
Child poverty rate · low2.5%
94/100New Jersey 11.8%United States 15.5%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B17001High uncertainty

Weaknesses

Child care cost burden · high41.8%
5/100New Jersey 34.2%United States 27.9%2023 & 2024University of Wisconsin Population Health InstitutePassaic County value
Effective property tax rate · high1.84%
11/100New Jersey 1.88%United States 0.94%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25090
New homes permitted · low0.0 /1k
13/100New Jersey 2.7 /1kUnited States 4.2 /1kSep 2025–Aug 2026U.S. Census BureauProvisional data
Violent crime rate · high390 /100k
19/100New Jersey 194 /100kUnited States 328 /100k2025Federal Bureau of InvestigationPassaic County value
Time spent in the emergency room · high204 min
19/100New Jersey 185 minUnited States 170 minOct 2024–Sep 2025Centers for Medicare & Medicaid ServicesPassaic County value
Arts, entertainment and recreation · low2.5 /10k
19/100New Jersey 4.6 /10kUnited States 5.5 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsPassaic County value

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

Rent-burdened householdsWorsening
17.9% (2015-2019) → 60.3% (2020-2024)
+42 pts5 yearsCensus table B25070US 49.6% → 51.1%
Rent as share of incomeWorsening
21.2% (2015-2019) → 31.4% (2020-2024)
+10 pts5 yearsCensus table B25071US 29.8% → 30.6%
Bachelor's degree or higherImproving
30.7% (2015-2019) → 40.7% (2020-2024)
+10 pts5 yearsCensus table B15003US 32.1% → 35.7%
Home price to income ratioWorsening
3.5× (2015-2019) → 4.9× (2020-2024)
+40%5 yearsCensus table B25077US 3.5× → 4.1×
Child poverty rateImproving
7.5% (2015-2019) → 2.5% (2020-2024)
−4.9 pts5 yearsCensus table B17001US 16.8% → 15.5%
Public transit commutersWorsening
6.2% (2015-2019) → 1.9% (2020-2024)
−4.2 pts5 yearsCensus table B08301US 5.0% → 3.2%

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, Totowa, New Jersey improved on 3 of 12 measures with a comparison and declined on 3. 6 moved within the margin of error and 0 barely changed.

Earlier (2015-2019)
Latest (2020-2024)
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among cities and towns: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts.

Improved3

Property tax−0.5 points2.34% → 1.84%
Bachelor's++10 points30.7% → 40.7%
Broadband+4.2 points91.3% → 95.5%

Declined3

Rent burden+42 points17.9% → 60.3%
Rent / income+10 points21.2% → 31.4%
Price / income+1.4×3.5× → 4.9×

All 12 measures

Change of every measure of Totowa, New Jersey between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Average commute time	27.4 min2015-2019	25.3 min2020-2024	−2.1 min	Within the margin of error	72%
Bachelor's degree or higher	30.7%2015-2019	40.7%2020-2024	+10 points	Improved	90%
Broadband subscriptions	91.3%2015-2019	95.5%2020-2024	+4.2 points	Improved	26%
Effective property tax rate	2.34%2015-2019	1.84%2020-2024	−0.5 points	Improved	91%
High school diploma or higher	90.9%2015-2019	93.5%2020-2024	+2.6 points	Within the margin of error	65%
Home price to income ratio	3.5×2015-2019	4.9×2020-2024	+1.4×	Declined	11%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.3772015-2019	0.4012020-2024	+0.024	Within the margin of error	31%
Median household income	$105,6372015-2019	$113,5632020-2024	+7.5%	Within the margin of error	14%
Rent as share of income	21.2%2015-2019	31.4%2020-2024	+10 points	Declined	9%
Rent-burdened households	17.9%2015-2019	60.3%2020-2024	+42 points	Declined	1%
Unemployment rate	3.1%2015-2019	3.0%2020-2024	−0.1 points	Within the margin of error	51%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	6.5%2015-2019	7.0%2020-2024	+0.5 points	Within the margin of error	40%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 14640 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 15651 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Cities and towns like Totowa, New Jersey five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Totowa, New Jersey in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, Totowa, New Jersey itself moved −14 points in standing on average over the same 10 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

10,959 residents (±36)

Men
Women

80 and over†
70–79†
60–69
50–59†
40–49†
30–39†
20–29†
10–19†
Under 10†

Share of all residents, each sex

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: 10–19 women (+3.8 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B01001View table on data.census.gov

Race and Hispanic origin

10,959 residents (±36)

Totowa, New Jersey
New Jersey share

White57%6,232
Black5.3%†576
Hispanic or Latino26%2,815
Asian7.4%†810
American Indian and Alaska Native0.0%0
Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander0.0%0
Other or two or more races4.8%†526

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: White (−13.0 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B03002View table on data.census.gov

Education

7,681 residents (±507)

Totowa, New Jersey
New Jersey share

No high school diploma6.5%†500
High school or GED29%2,212
Some college18%1,412
Associate degree5.6%†427
Bachelor's degree26%2,013
Graduate degree15%1,117

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Graduate degree (+7.1 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B15003View table on data.census.gov

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

3,916 households (±222)

Totowa, New Jersey
New Jersey share

Under $25k7.2%†282
$25k–50k11%†439
$50k–75k17%†671
$75k–100k9.4%†369
$100k–150k17%†682
$150k–200k17%653
$200k or more21%820

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: $75k–100k (−6.1 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B19001View table on data.census.gov

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

3,916 households (±222)

Totowa, New Jersey
New Jersey share

Own74%2,881
Rent26%†1,035

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B25003View table on data.census.gov

Rent paid

1,033 households (±312)

Totowa, New Jersey
New Jersey share

Under $7500.0%0
$750–1,0000.0%0
$1,000–1,50032%†331

Home values

2,881 homes (±381)

Totowa, New Jersey
New Jersey share

Under $150k2.5%†73
$150k–250k0.6%†16
$250k–400k9.3%†267

Age of homes

3,980 homes (±227)

Totowa, New Jersey
New Jersey share

2010 or later6.7%†268
2000–20098.0%†320
1980–199912%†464

Size of homes

3,980 homes (±227)

Totowa, New Jersey
New Jersey share

Studio0.0%0
1 bedroom12%†461
2 bedrooms23%†908

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

5,200 workers (±487)

Totowa, New Jersey
New Jersey share

Drive alone71%3,704
Carpool10%†545
Public transit1.9%†101
Walk0.3%†16
Bike0.0%0
Work from home16%†834
Other0.0%0

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Work from home (+12.5 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B08301View table on data.census.gov

Time to get to work

4,366 workers (±439)

Totowa, New Jersey
New Jersey share

Under 15 min30%1,311
15–29 min30%1,309
30–44 min26%1,142

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Jobs and pay

What the largest occupations here pay, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes pay by metro area, not by county or city. The metro area page lists its largest occupations and lets you look up any job.

Pay in the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

The Census Bureau publishes business counts by county, not by city, so these are the figures of Passaic County, the county holding most of Totowa's residents.

Passaic County has 12,406 employer establishments, 237 for every 10,000 residents (0.95× the US rate of 248; 0.93× New Jersey's), with 146,956 paid employees at an average annual pay of $60,957. The Census Bureau also counts 61,349 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 12,406; 61,349 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 237; US 248 · New Jersey 253
Paid employees: 146,956
Average annual pay: $60,957; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Passaic County by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Ambulatory health care services	1,162	22.2	1.06×About typical	11,343	$61,150	2,298
Restaurants and other eating places	934	17.8	0.97×About typical	10,541	$25,970	541
Specialty trade contractors	848	16.2	1.05×About typical	5,894	$84,269	2,856
Services to buildings and dwellings	492	9.4	1.39×More than typical	2,333	$43,976	3,339
Construction of buildings	427	8.1	1.08×About typical	1,891	$73,656	1,772
Offices of physicians	424	8.1	1.25×About typical	3,108	$98,881	337
Full-service restaurants	416	7.9	1.03×About typical	5,010	$28,514	292
Building equipment contractors	412	7.9	1.31×More than typical	3,246	$90,949	778
Limited-service restaurants	397	7.6	0.94×About typical	4,243	$23,686	158
Personal care services	376	7.2	1.50×More than typical	1,565	$24,542	2,223
Lessors of real estate	375	7.2	0.58×Fewer than typical	2,266	$45,328	5,281
Offices of other health practitioners	320	6.1	1.01×About typical	1,734	$47,901	1,190

Rank places for an industry Open Passaic County

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 524,011 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contracts performed here

In FY2026, an estimated $4.4M of federal contract obligations were for work performed in Totowa, New Jersey: $403 per resident (US $1,994).

Obligations: $4.4M; −82% vs FY2025
Per resident: $403; US $1,994
Sole-source: 100%; US 30%
Single offer: 0.0%; US 8.8%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

Department of the Air Force$4.4M100%

Top recipients

BAE SYSTEMS INFORMATION AND ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS INTEGRATION INC.$4.4M100%

Spending by fiscal year

20.7MFY2017
100.8MFY2018
505.6MFY2019
30.7MFY2020
10.9MFY2021
24.9MFY2022
100.4MFY2023
100.1M

Top industries (NAICS)

Architectural, engineering, and related services · 5413$4.4M100%

Largest awards whose ZIP code lies mostly in Totowa, New Jersey

ALR 56C$453.3M
BAE SYSTEMS INFORMATION AND ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS INTEGRATION INC.· Passaic County, NJ· Other equipment & supplies· Sep 23, 2019 – Mar 30, 2026· SPRWA119F0049
ALR-56M RADAR WARNING RECEIVERS$84.7M
BAE SYSTEMS INFORMATION AND ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS INTEGRATION INC.· Passaic County, NJ· Weapons, aircraft, ships & vehicles· Sep 8, 2023 – Apr 1, 2026· SPRWA123F0040
UPGRADE OF KOREA F-16C/D LEGACY RADAR WARNING RECEIVER, THE AN/ALR-56M, TO A NEW CONFIGURATION, THE AN/ALR-56M(V)-1.$60M
BAE SYSTEMS INFORMATION AND ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS INTEGRATION INC.· Passaic County, NJ· Other equipment & supplies· Sep 28, 2017 – May 21, 2026· FA852317C0018

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026.

How this is estimated

Agencies report each contract action's place of performance as a county and a ZIP code. A ZIP code's money is split among the cities it covers by the share of its land inside each (Census 2020 ZIP code tabulation areas); the part outside city limits stays with the county.

The place of performance is what the contracting agency reports, often the contractor's office rather than where the work happens.
Shares are of land, not of people or businesses: a ZIP code that is mostly rural land but has its offices in town gives the town less than it should.
ZIP codes that are not mapped areas (post office boxes, the unique ZIP codes of large federal sites and companies) stay with their county, unless one city covers nearly all of it.
Counts of actions and awards include those only partly in Totowa, New Jersey, so they do not add up across cities.

Totowa, New Jersey's figures are part of those of Passaic County, NJ ($173.4M in FY2026), never added to them: 2.5% of that total.

Grants and other federal assistance are counted by county here, not split among cities: Totowa is mostly in Passaic County.

See federal money in Passaic County

Representation in Congress

Members serving today, with their record in the current Congress (party-unity votes cast with their caucus, roll calls missed). Not a grade.

Totowa, New Jersey is split between congressional districts: each representative is shown with the share of its residents in their district (current boundaries).

House

Senate

Explore Congress The 2026 races

County

A city can lie in several counties. Some indicators are published for counties only: the page marks them.

Passaic County57100% of residents

Metro area

The metro or micro area the city belongs to.

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ69

Other cities and towns in Passaic County

Largest first.

Similar cities and towns

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Building Permits SurveyU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-08
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement

JSON · /api/v1/places/3473140

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends