Passaic County extends from the densely developed cities of Paterson, Passaic, and Clifton into the wooded Highlands near the New York State line. Paterson, the county seat, is known for the Great Falls and its important industrial history along the Passaic River. The southeastern portion contains compact neighborhoods, commercial corridors, manufacturing areas, and extensive transit connections. Farther north, municipalities such as Wayne, Ringwood, Wanaque, and West Milford include larger residential properties, reservoirs, lake communities, forests, and significant open space. Interstate 80, Route 3, Route 19, Route 21, Route 23, and Route 46 connect the county with Bergen, Essex, Morris, and Hudson counties. Passaic County’s geography is unusually varied for northern New Jersey, shifting from older urban street grids and riverfront industry to suburban centers, mountain ridges, parkland, and low-density rural landscapes.