What are the schools like in Clifton, NJ?

Clifton is served primarily by Clifton Public School District. The district operates 14 elementary schools, 2 middle schools, and 1 high schools with a student-to-teacher ratio of 11.6:1.

What is the median household income in Clifton?

The median household income in Clifton, NJ is $94,179 according to the most recent US Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates. The unemployment rate is 6.4%.

What is the weather like in Clifton, NJ?

Clifton has an average high temperature of 39.3°F in January and 86.5°F in July. Annual precipitation averages 50.6 inches and annual snowfall averages 28.2 inches.

Clifton, NJ Cost of Living, Crime & Is It a Good Place to Live? (2026)

Q: Is Clifton, NJ affordable or expensive?

Clifton's cost of living index is 112, where 100 represents the national average. This means Clifton is 12% more expensive than the average US city. The median home value is $428,000 and the median rent is $1,633 per month.

Q: What is the crime rate in Clifton, NJ?

Clifton has a violent crime rate of 165.8 incidents per 100,000 residents and a property crime rate of 2265.5 per 100,000. The national average violent crime rate is approximately 380 per 100,000.

Is Clifton, NJ a Good Place to Live?

Clifton is a mid-sized city of 89,451 in New Jersey, with a median household income of $94,179 and a 6.4% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 112 (US average = 100), which is 12% above the national average.

Strengths: Clifton stands out for lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (A-).

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an above-average cost of living, high home prices, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Clifton is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Clifton city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 112.5

Clifton's overall cost of living index is 112.5, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Clifton costs roughly 12% more than the average American city.

Metric	Clifton, NJ	National Avg
Median Home Value	$428,000	$244,900
Median Monthly Rent	$1,633	$1,163
Homeownership Rate	57.5%	65.9%
Median Household Income	$94,179	$74,755

Crime & Safety

Safer than Average

Clifton's violent crime rate is 165.8 per 100,000 residents — 56% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime

165.8 /100k

Property Crime

2265.5 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Clifton is served primarily by Clifton Public School District. The student-to-teacher ratio is 11.6:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric	Clifton, NJ	National Avg
School District	Clifton Public School District	—
Elementary Schools	14	—
Middle Schools	2	—
High Schools	1	—
Student/Teacher Ratio	11.6:1	16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher	34.3%	35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher	89.1%	91.1%

Weather & Climate

Clifton sees average highs of 39.3°F in January and 86.5°F in July, with 50.6 inches of annual precipitation and 28.2 inches of snow per year.

Metric	Clifton, NJ
Average High — January	39.3°F
Average High — July	86.5°F
Annual Precipitation	50.6"
Annual Snowfall	28.2"

Demographics

Metric	Clifton, NJ	National Avg
Population	89,451	—
Median Age	40.2	38.9
Unemployment Rate	6.4%	3.7%
Avg Commute Time	28.6 min	26 min
White (non-Hispanic)	59.0%	59.3%
Black or African American	4.5%	13.6%
Hispanic or Latino	25.1%	18.9%
Asian	8.6%	6.3%
Under 18	19.7%	22.2%
65 and over	17.5%	16.8%

Nearby Cities

Passaic, NJ 2 mi Montclair State University, NJ 2 mi Brookdale, NJ 2 mi Upper Montclair, NJ 3 mi Great Notch, NJ 3 mi

ZIP Codes in Clifton

Clifton, NJ is covered by 5 ZIP codes:

07013 07011 07012 07014 07110

Clifton vs Other Cities

Clifton, NJ vs Passaic, NJ Clifton, NJ vs Montclair State University, NJ Clifton, NJ vs Brookdale, NJ Clifton, NJ vs Upper Montclair, NJ Clifton, NJ vs Great Notch, NJ

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Clifton, NJ affordable or expensive?

Clifton's cost of living index is 112, where 100 is the national average. That puts Clifton roughly 12% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $428,000 and median rent is $1,633/month.

What is the crime rate in Clifton, NJ?

Clifton's violent crime rate is 165.8 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 2265.5 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.

What are the schools like in Clifton?

Public schools in Clifton are operated by Clifton Public School District. The district has 14 elementary, 2 middle, and 1 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 11.6:1. 34.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Is Clifton, NJ a good place to live?

Clifton, NJ has a population of 89,451, a median household income of $94,179, and an unemployment rate of 6.4%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.

What is the weather like in Clifton?

Clifton averages 39.3°F in January and 86.5°F in July. Annual rainfall is 50.6 inches with about 28.2 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).

What ZIP codes are in Clifton?

Clifton, NJ is covered by 5 ZIP codes: 07013, 07011, 07012, 07014, 07110.

What is the population of Clifton?

The population of Clifton, New Jersey is 89,451 with a median age of 40.2. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.

What are the pros and cons of living in Clifton?

Key numbers for living in Clifton: cost of living index 112 (100 = US average), median home $428,000, median household income $94,179, crime index 69 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated A-. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Clifton side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.