Paterson is the largest city in and the seat of Passaic County, New Jersey, situated along the Passaic River about 15 miles west of Manhattan. With roughly 160,000 residents, it is the third-most-populous municipality in the state, after Newark and Jersey City. The city's origins are nationally significant: founded in 1792 by Alexander Hamilton as America's first planned industrial city, Paterson harnessed the 77-foot Great Falls of the Passaic River to power the mills that launched the country's Industrial Revolution. That industrial legacy gave Paterson its enduring nickname, the Silk City. By the late 19th century the city processed a large share of the nation's silk, and its mill buildings still stand in the Great Falls Historic District, now part of Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park. The falls remain both a scenic landmark and a symbol of the city's role in American manufacturing history. The city's built form mirrors that history: a dense, walkable street grid of rowhouses and multi-family homes radiates from the falls, while tree-lined districts such as the Eastside hold grand Victorian houses around Eastside Park. That variety, combined with transit access and a cost profile below many neighboring suburbs, sustains a steady base of families, first-time buyers, and long-time residents. Today Paterson is one of the region's most diverse cities. Successive waves of immigration have shaped its neighborhoods, from the Middle Eastern bakeries and markets of South Paterson to communities with roots across Latin America, the Caribbean, South Asia, and beyond. Downtown clusters government offices, the county courthouse, and transit, while institutions such as Passaic County Community College, St. Joseph's University Medical Center, and the restored Hinchliffe Stadium anchor civic life. Commuters reach New York by NJ Transit bus or rail, making Paterson an urban option within the New York metro area that offers a distinct identity and a connection to the nation's industrial past.