Paramus, a shopping powerhouse just minutes from Manhattan
Known by many as the retail center of the country, Paramus provides a slower-paced lifestyle with a plethora of amenities while being about 20 miles outside of New York City – or just 10 miles for residents who live on the south side. “Despite how quickly you can reach New York City, Paramus still feels very suburban,” says Cynthia Pierce, a real estate agent with Keller Williams Town Life and lifelong resident of Bergen County. “It’s still quite large and very populated, but it’s much more spaced out.” New Jersey State Route 17 and the Garden State Parkway are busy arteries running north-to-south through the city, providing residents access to four major shopping malls. This commercial corridor brings in more than $5 billion in sales annually, upholding the Borough of Paramus’ reputation as a shopping destination. With continuous new construction and redevelopment, Paramus has also become an attractive bedroom community for those who work in the nearby city.
The Garden State Plaza in Paramus, NJ is one of the premier shopping malls in the area.
There are many stores along Rt. 17 in Paramus, NJ including the Paramus Plaza Mall.
Electric cars are parked in front of newly constructed houses in Paramus, NJ.
Mid-century Colonial style houses share a street in Paramus, NJ.
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The area's commercial corridor with four major indoor and outlet malls
Paramus is well known around Bergen County and the surrounding areas for its abundant shopping and dining. On the northern side, Fashion Center is a 500,000-square-foot shopping mall with department stores, chain restaurants and an Amazon Fresh grocery store. Also located in this retail section is The Valley Hospital. Just a mile south of there, Paramus Park is a multi-level indoor mall with a glass ceiling and a collection of upscale retailers. In addition to several take-out eateries and a Stew Leonard’s grocery store, this commercial area also includes New Bridge Medical Center and ER. On the southern side of Paramus, Westfield Garden State Plaza is a shopping mall with a movie theater, department stores and an expansive food court that offers more than 50 restaurants. Nearby, Bergen Town Center is an outlet mall that features sportswear brands, Target and Whole Foods.
Paramus operates under blue laws, which prevent the sale of non-essential or non-food items on Sundays. However, select establishments, including restaurants, grocery stores and pharmacies, are still open. This initiative, originally instituted in the 1950s, is an attempt to give residents a respite from traffic and noise at least once a week. Paramus voters have had several opportunities to override these blue laws, but have voted to maintain the initiative every time. While Sundays can be quite peaceful thanks to this, Saturday traffic tends to be worse from the influx of people from nearby communities looking to take advantage of the low sales tax on retail items in Paramus, which has a 0% local sales tax, so shoppers only have to pay the New Jersey state sales tax.
The Garden State Plaza in Paramus, NJ is a destination for shopper across the region.
Paramus Park is a popular destination for upscale brands.
Amazon Fresh is a new addition to the 500,000-square-foot Fashion Center mall.
Stew Leonard's is a popular destination at the Paramus Park mall.
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Zoo attractions and child-friendly rides at Van Saun County Park
On the east side of Paramus, Van Saun County Park provides several play areas for different ages, including water features, playground structures, walking trails and tennis courts. The park is also home to the Bergen County Zoo, which hosts seasonal events like the Holiday Lantern Spectacular. In addition to exploring the animal exhibits, parkgoers can ride the carousel or train ride. On the southern end of Van Saun County Park, there is a fenced-in dog park and a duck pond.
More outdoor recreation opportunities in the city include a few golf courses and country clubs. Paramus Golf Course and Orchard Hills are both public golf courses, and The Ridgewood Country Club and Hackensack Golf Club are membership-only clubs with outdoor pools and restaurants.
People enjoying a shaded walk at Van Saun County Park in Paramus.
Families love the model train ride at Van Saun County Park in Paramus.
Let It Glow at Van Saun Park is a family friendly celebration of the holiday season.
Orchard Hills in Paramus, NJ is an affordable public golf course.
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A bedroom community with commuting access to New York City
Commuting to New York City is made more convenient thanks to Route 17 and the Garden State Parkway, which run north-to-south through Paramus and intersect with Route 4, which runs east-to-west along the south side of the city. This highly trafficked crossroads not only attracts outside visitors to the area’s major retailers, but it also serves as a direct route to the George Washington Bridge into New York City. While the city of Paramus does not have passenger train access, there are several nearby train stations in the surrounding communities of Emerson, Fair Lawn and Rivers Edge. The NJ Transit bus system services the city, and the nearest airport is LaGuardia, located less than 20 miles from Paramus.
From Cape Cods to Colonial estates with low property taxes
Common house designs throughout Paramus range from quaint, smaller-sized ranch-styles and Cape Cods to more spacious Colonial Revivals and modern estates with acreage. Prices can start around $600,000 and climb into the millions. The median home price is around $900,000, which represents about a ten-percent increase from 2023. Properties typically sit on the market for about two months before they’re sold.
Thanks to Paramus’ status as a major source of industry, tax breaks are provided all the way down to homeowners, so property taxes tend to be quite low in Paramus compared to most of New Jersey. “The property taxes are a huge bonus to life in Paramus,” says Pierce. “For many people, that’s the main attraction that draws them here.”
There are a large number of ranch style homes in Paramus, NJ.
Prices in Paramus can start around $600,000 and climb into the millions.
The median home price for a contemporary style house in Paramus is around $900,000.
Because of its large tax base Paramus homes have some of the lowest tax rates in NJ.
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Paramus Public Schools, private institutions and local universities
Students living in Paramus are served by Paramus Public Schools, which receives an A rating from Niche. The district includes five elementary schools, two middle schools and Paramus High School. Private school options in the immediate area include The Frisch School, a co-ed Modern Orthodox high school with an A-plus Niche rating, and Paramus Catholic High School, a co-ed high school with an A rating. “The schools are very well renowned, whether that’s the public schools or the private school offerings,” Pierce says. “Many families make the move to the area just for that.”
Students can also continue on to higher education while staying in or around Paramus. Bergen Community College is located within the borough. William Paterson University is a public university just west of the city that serves about 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students. Fairleigh Dickinson University is a private institution on the south side with more than 12,000 students enrolled.
Paramus High School in Paramus gets an overall score of A- from Niche.
East Brook Middle School is an above average public school in Paramus, NJ.
Memorial Elementary School in Paramus, NJ is a highly rated public school.
Bergen Community College in Paramus offers a high quality, affordable education.
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Annual projections of weather and crime data in Paramus
Residents of Paramus can expect to experience all four seasons, with the highest temperatures reaching an average of 85 degrees in July and the lowest temperatures dropping to around 25 degrees in January. February usually sees the highest chances of snow.
According to the FBI Crime Data Explorer, the violent crime rate in Paramus was half that of New Jersey, and one-third of the national rate in 2024, with more crimes generally reported during the winter months. However, the property crime rate in Paramus was double the national rate and almost triple the New Jersey rate in 2024, likely due to the influx of visitors to the area’s extensive commercial sectors.
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