The society's directors felt he was taking too long and was over budget; he was replaced by Peter Colt, who used a less complicated reservoir system to get the water flowing to factories in 1794.

It became part of the newly created Passaic County on February 7, 1837, and was incorporated as a city on April 14, 1851, based on the results of a referendum held that day.

[44] Once millwork and production left the city, Paterson’s poverty became reminiscent of what occurred in the towns surrounding the Appalachian Mountains once the coal mining industry ended.

[11] Competition from malls in upscale neighboring towns like Wayne and Paramus forced large chain stores out of Paterson's downtown.

The city has attempted to revitalize the area in recent years, including the installation of period lamp posts and the conversion of old industrial buildings into apartments and retail venues.

The East River neighborhood which was and still maintains its "blue-collar" working-class identity, was at one time known for its large Jewish community, as well as a Neapolitan/Italian population and more recently other Mediterranean and Adriatic Europeans, Caribbean and South Americans, and other modern immigrant groups from all over the world, as well as African-Americans.

South Paterson, also known as Little Istanbul or Little Ramallah, is a diverse neighborhood with a growing number of immigrants from the Middle East, with significant Turkish and Arab communities.

[citation needed] Stoney Road is Paterson's southwesternmost neighborhood, bordering Woodland Park to the south and Totowa across the Passaic River to the west.

Riverside is a larger neighborhood in Paterson and, as its name suggests, is bound by the Passaic River to the north and east, separating the city from Hawthorne and Fair Lawn.

However, Paterson's black population declined between the years 2000 and 2010,[102] consistent with the overall return migration of African Americans from northern New Jersey back to the Southern United States.

[92] Today's Hispanic immigrants to Paterson are primarily Dominican, Peruvian, Colombian, Mexican, and Central American, with a resurgence of Puerto Rican migration as well.

[108] Broadway, also called Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Way, is significantly black, as are the Fourth Ward and parts of Eastside and Northside, although Paterson's African American population is declining.

[113] Paterson's rapidly growing Peruvian community celebrates what is known as Señor de los Milagros ("Our Lord of Miracles" in English) on October 18 through 28th each year and every July participates in the annual Passaic County Peruvian Day Parade, which passes through Market Street and Main Street in the Little Lima neighborhood of Downtown Paterson.

[114] In the 2000 Census, 4.72% of residents listed themselves as being of Peruvian American ancestry, the third-highest percentage of the population of any municipality in New Jersey and the United States, behind East Newark with 10.1% and Harrison with 7.01%.

[123] Paterson has incorporated a rapidly growing Bangladeshi American community, which is estimated to number 15,000,[124] the largest in the United States outside New York City.

[125] Mohammed Akhtaruzzaman was ultimately certified as the winner of the 2012 city council race in the Second Ward, making him North Jersey's first Bangladeshi-American elected official.

[130] The Paterson Literary Review has been published annually by the Poetry Center at Passaic County Community College, and edited by Maria Mazziotti Gillan, since 1979.

Though it also includes prose and reviews, PLR is most well-known for its submitted poetry — having published works by notable poets such as Allen Ginsberg, Philip Levine, William Stafford, and Sonia Sanchez.

Today, Passaic County remains the owner of the building and supports the facilities' operation; however, the Passaic County Historical Society is solely responsible for the operation and management of Lambert Castle Museum with its historical period rooms, long-term and changing exhibition galleries, educational programs for elementary and middle-school students, and research library/archive.

[137] Attempts were being made to fund the restoration of the Paterson Armory as a recreation and cultural center, but the building was destroyed by fire before these could bear fruit.

[citation needed] Paterson is also the city of license for the Spanish-language Univision network's flagship station WXTV-DT, channel 41, whose studios are located on Frank W. Burr Boulevard in Teaneck, New Jersey.

[4] Torres was in his third non-consecutive term as Mayor of Paterson, having first been elected by defeating incumbent Martin G. Barnes in 2002 and then winning re-election in 2006 against Lawrence Spagnola.

[146][150][151][152][153] In July 2018, Alaa "Al" Abdelaziz was selected to fill the Sixth Ward seat expiring in June 2020 that had been held by Andre Sayegh until he stepped down to take office as mayor.

[160][161][162] Prior to the 2010 Census, Paterson had been part of the 8th Congressional District, a change made by the New Jersey Redistricting Commission that took effect in January 2013, based on the results of the November 2012 general elections.

[167] As of 2025[update], Passaic County's Commissioners are: Bruce James (D, Clifton, 2026),[168] Deputy Director Cassandra "Sandi" Lazzara (D, Little Falls, 2027),[169] Director John W. Bartlett (D, Wayne, 2027),[170] Orlando Cruz (D, Paterson, 2026),[171] Terry Duffy (D, West Milford, 2025),[172] Rodney DeVore (D, Paterson, 2027)[173] and Pasquale "Pat" Lepore (D, Woodland Park, 2025).

[199] In April 2011, Paterson laid off 125 police officers, nearly 25% of the total force in the city, due to severe budget constraints caused by a $70 million deficit.

[200] At the same time, the Guardian Angels, a New York City–based volunteer citizen safety patrol organization, began operating in Paterson at the invitation of the Mayor.

[204] Platkin's comments alluded to the challenges created by frequent turnover at the top of the police department and the negative impact it has had on community relations.

The city is served by the NJ Transit Main Line commuter rail service to Hoboken, with the station located in Downtown Paterson.

[234] The San Rocco Society was founded in Paterson, an association whose main purpose is to maintain sales relationships with the Italy, and in some ways the traditions.