Paterson is the largest
city in and the
county seat of
Passaic County,
New Jersey, United States, in the
New York metropolitan area. As of the
2010 United States Census, its population was 146,199, rendering it New Jersey's
third-most-populous city reflecting a decline of 3,023 (-2.0%) from the 149,222 counted in the
2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 8,331 (+5.9%) from the 140,891 counted in the
1990 Census. The Census Bureau estimated a 2014 population of 146,753, an increase of 554 (+0.4%) since 2010. Data from the 2011 U.S. Census Bureau estimate reveals that Paterson continues to carry the
second-highest density of any U.S. city with over 100,000 people, behind only
New York City. Paterson is known as the "Silk City" for its dominant role in
silk production during the latter half of the 19th century. The city has since evolved into a major destination for
Hispanic emigrants as well as for immigrants from the
Arab and
Muslim world. It has the second-largest
Muslim population in the United States.