Passaic County Housing Market: What the April 2026 Numbers Actually Mean

What's Happening With Rates and the Economy

Passaic County's April 2026 numbers show a market that held its footing despite a difficult environment. The Iran conflict, Operation Epic Fury, started February 28, pushed oil prices up and reignited the inflation that had been slowly coming down. The 30-year fixed mortgage is at 6.36% right now. New Jersey home sales are running about 3% below last year's pace through April.

April itself was a positive signal. Contract sales statewide rose 8.5% over the same month last year. That is the strongest single-month reading in recent memory. Statewide inventory has climbed to over 18,000 homes, up 39% since January. The entry-level segment, homes under $400,000, saw the sharpest decline in sales at 11% year over year. That is worth noting for a county like Passaic, where several municipalities still have homes available in that range.

New Jersey's unemployment rate is at 4.9%, above the national 4.3%. The state added 5,800 jobs in March after a February decline. None of these numbers are alarming, but they are not the kind of numbers that push hesitant buyers into action either.

The County Numbers at a Glance

Passaic County posted 250 homes under contract in April against 381 new listings. There are 474 homes on the market right now. At the current pace, it would take about seven and a half weeks to sell through all of them. A year ago it was about seven weeks, so the market has loosened slightly but is still in seller's territory.

April 2025 had 212 contracts and 358 unsold homes. This April had 250 contracts and 474 unsold. Sales are up 18% year over year. Inventory is up 32%. Both sides of the market are more active, but supply is growing a bit faster than demand.

The QTD months supply of 1.9 places Passaic County firmly in seller's market territory by most measures. Homes are still moving. The question is at what pace and at what price.

Passaic doesn't behave like Morris or Sussex, and it comes down to the buyer. Morris runs on move-up and relocation buyers with equity; Sussex is value-and-space driven. Passaic is a commuter county built on the NJ Transit corridor  Wayne, Clifton, Paterson  where more of the inventory sits under $400,000, the exact segment getting squeezed hardest right now. Those first-time and FHA buyers feel every basis point at 6.36%, so the county is both more rate-sensitive and more internally varied than either neighbor. Here, the town matters far more than the county average. 

Which Towns Are Moving and Which Ones Aren't

Wayne Township is the county's busiest market and in April it was genuinely competitive. There were 53 contracts against 75 new listings, 64 homes available, and at that pace it would take about five weeks to sell through all of them. For a market Wayne's size and price range, that is a fast-moving environment. Sellers in Wayne are not waiting long.

West Milford Township is a completely different story. There were 27 contracts on 63 new listings in April, 87 homes available, and at that pace it would take about thirteen weeks to sell through the inventory. West Milford has more of a rural, recreational character, closer in feel to Sussex County than to Wayne. Sellers there are competing for buyers right now.

Clifton City had 42 contracts on 69 new listings in April, 73 homes available, and about seven weeks of supply. Clifton's density and transit access keep demand steady. It is competitive without being frenzied.

Pompton Lakes Borough had only 7 contracts on 23 new listings in April, 19 homes available, and about eleven weeks of supply. That demand ratio is notably low for this county. It is worth watching to see whether April was a one-month dip or the start of a directional shift.

Ringwood Borough had 9 contracts on 14 new listings, 17 homes available, and about eight weeks of supply. A solid smaller market.

Little Falls Township was one of the standout markets in April. There were 18 contracts on exactly 18 new listings. Every home that came on the market found a buyer. There are only 19 homes available and at that pace it would take about four and a half weeks to sell through them. Little Falls is moving as fast as anywhere in the county.

Hawthorne Borough had 10 contracts on 15 new listings, 18 available, and about seven weeks of supply. Wanaque Borough had 16 contracts on only 13 new listings, meaning buyers absorbed more than all new supply. There are 29 homes available and about seven weeks of supply.

Paterson City had 20 contracts on 29 new listings, 60 homes available, and about twelve weeks of supply. The seller-to-buyer ratio there is 4 to 1. Paterson consistently shows more inventory relative to sales than anywhere else in the county, which reflects its distinctive price range and buyer pool. 

Totowa Borough had 9 contracts on 8 new listings, 15 homes available, and about seven weeks of supply. North Haledon Borough had 8 contracts on 11 new listings, 15 available, and about eight weeks of supply.

North Haledon Borough: 8 contract sales on 11 new offerings (73% demand ratio), 15 unsold homes, months supply 1.9.

Paterson tracks with what I'm seeing. It's a sub-$400K, starter-home market, the tier hit hardest by today's rates, so inventory outruns buyers. It's a pricing story, not a distress story: priced to the current market it moves, priced to last year it sits. 

What This Means for Buyers and Sellers Right Now

Passaic County in April 2026 has real activity on both sides of the market. Sales are up year over year, inventory is building, and most towns are still in seller's territory by any reasonable measure. The difference between Wayne at about five weeks of inventory and West Milford at thirteen weeks shows how much the county varies internally. These are not the same market at all.

Passaic County's NJ Transit connections through Wayne, Clifton, and Paterson provide a demand floor that more rural counties simply do not have. That floor is real, but at 6.36% on a 30-year fixed, the commuter premium only stretches so far. If rates come down in the second half of 2026, this county is well positioned to absorb that demand. 

So what am I telling people right now? Don't try to time the rate. If you're buying, this is the least competition you'll see for a while, and the commuter towns like Wayne, Clifton, and Little Falls will tighten fast the moment rates break under six. You want to be in before that, not bidding against the crowd that's sitting on the sidelines today. If you're selling, the window where inventory is still manageable is right now; price to this market, not last spring's, and you'll transact. The mistake in either direction is waiting for a green light that only ever looks obvious in the rear-view mirror. 

Data source: HousingTRAC Monthly, Otteau Group Inc., April 2026. Contract sales reflect pending (not yet closed) transactions.