Rent Cap Ledger

Paterson · City ordinance

What's the maximum rent increase in Paterson for 2026?

5%

Official figure · checked Oct 18, 2026

Paterson's rent leveling ordinance limits annual increases to 5% (3 1/2% for seniors 65+ and disabled tenants, 2.5% for those with low incomes), with 30 days' written notice.

In effect
Set by ordinance (no annual reset)
Next change
No fixed date
Set by
City of Paterson Rent Leveling Board · City ordinance
Last checked
October 18, 2026

Where 5% sits

A flat limit set by ordinance; lower limits apply to some senior and disabled tenants.

Annual increase (most tenants)5%

§ 1 · The formula

How the Paterson cap is calculated

Flat 5% a year

A flat 5% a year without going to the Rent Leveling Board, or 3 1/2% for a head of household 65 or older or found disabled by the Social Security Administration, and 2.5% for those seniors or disabled tenants with low incomes (monthly income up to $1,000, household up to $1,500).

Law: Paterson Rent Leveling Ordinance (City Code ch. 381).

§ 2 · Coverage

Who it covers, and who's exempt

Covered

  • Apartments covered by Paterson's Rent Leveling Ordinance

Main exemptions & conditions

  • Lower limits: 3 1/2% for heads of household 65+ or disabled (SSA); 2.5% if their income is under the ordinance's thresholds
  • Exemptions listed in the ordinance (for example, newly constructed multiple dwellings for a limited period)

§ 3 · Timing

Notice, and when it changes next

Notice: At least 30 days' written notice of the proposed increase (Paterson Code ch. 381).

Next change: No scheduled change: the 5% limit is set by ordinance.

Cost of living here

Rents and prices around Paterson

Official figures only, each for the area named. Prices are for the wider metro area; rents and incomes are for the city itself.

Price level

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro area · BEA 2024

All items112.6
Housing148.6

Regional Price Parities: an index where the US average price level for all items = 100. Housing is BEA’s “Services: Housing” line (US = 100.6).

Fair Market Rents

Bergen-Passaic, NJ HUD Metro FMR Area · HUD FY2027

HUD Fair Market Rent per month by unit size, Bergen-Passaic, NJ HUD Metro FMR Area
Studio$1,772
1 bedroom$1,987
2 bedrooms$2,282
3 bedrooms$2,771
4 bedrooms$3,497

Monthly gross rent (rent plus utilities). HUD: FMRs are “estimates of 40th percentile gross rents for standard quality units”.

Rents and incomes

Paterson city, New Jersey · ACS 2020–2024 5-year

Median gross rent
$1,548/mo US $1,413/mo
Median household income
$55,997 US $80,734
Median rent as % of household income
35.6% US 30.6%

Gross rent includes utilities. The rent-to-income figure is for renter households (Census table B25071).

Sources

  1. BEA Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area (MARPP) ↗ · 2024 (released February 19, 2026) · about the data ↗ · retrieved Oct 18, 2026
  2. OMB metropolitan area delineations (Census list 1, July 2023) ↗ · July 2023 (OMB Bulletin 23-01) · retrieved Oct 18, 2026
  3. HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2027 (county-level data file) ↗ · FY2027 · about the data ↗ · retrieved Oct 18, 2026
  4. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (tables B25064, B19013, B25071) ↗ · 2020–2024 · about the data ↗ · retrieved Oct 18, 2026

Compare Paterson with another city → All places ranked → Can I afford my rent? →

§ 4 · Sources

Official sources

  1. City of Paterson (Code, via eCode360) · headline figure City of Paterson Code ch. 381 (Rent Leveling) ↗
    “Every landlord without recourse to the Board or Administrator may annually request of a tenant an increase in rent which shall not be greater than 5%”
    Last checked October 18, 2026 · ecode360.com

See something out of date? The methodology page explains how we check figures.

§ 5 · Questions

Frequently asked

What is the maximum rent increase in Paterson for 2026?

Paterson's rent leveling ordinance limits annual increases to 5% (3 1/2% for seniors 65+ and disabled tenants, 2.5% for those with low incomes), with 30 days' written notice.

How is the Paterson rent cap calculated?

A flat 5% a year without going to the Rent Leveling Board, or 3 1/2% for a head of household 65 or older or found disabled by the Social Security Administration, and 2.5% for those seniors or disabled tenants with low incomes (monthly income up to $1,000, household up to $1,500).

Which rentals are exempt from the Paterson cap?

Lower limits: 3 1/2% for heads of household 65+ or disabled (SSA); 2.5% if their income is under the ordinance's thresholds. Exemptions listed in the ordinance (for example, newly constructed multiple dwellings for a limited period).

When does the Paterson rent cap change next?

No scheduled change: the 5% limit is set by ordinance.

Where does this Paterson figure come from?

From City of Paterson (Code, via eCode360): “City of Paterson Code ch. 381 (Rent Leveling)”, which we last checked on October 18, 2026. Always confirm with the agency before relying on it.

Same state

Other caps in New Jersey

Elsewhere

Other jurisdictions