The poems in the film came from Ron Padgett, one of Jim Jarmusch's favorite contemporary poets, who agreed to write the poems for the film and let Jarmusch use some of his existing poems.
Adam Driver went to bus driving school for his role in the film. Production crew was arranging for Driver to get a bus license, and while they were trying to organize it, he on his own figured it out and was already in the school.
The conversation between the two construction workers in the bus was a real conversation Jarmusch overheard at a bar.
The poem read to Paterson by the little girl was written by the director, Jim Jarmusch.
On Paterson's (played by Adam Driver) bed stand, there is a picture of a younger Paterson, during his military service. That is an actual picture of Adam Driver from his time in the U.S. Marine Corps.