Median Income
$219,500
household / year
Median Home Value
$991,900
owner-occupied
Median Rent
N/A
gross / month
Cost of Living
109
national avg = 100

Is Clifton, VA a Good Place to Live?

Clifton is a small town of 358 in Virginia, with a median household income of $219,500 . Its cost of living index is 109 (US average = 100), which is 9% above the national average.

Strengths: Clifton stands out for solid school ratings (A), a well-educated population.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include high home prices. 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: 108.6

Clifton's overall cost of living index is 108.6, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Clifton costs roughly 9% more than the average American city.

Metric Clifton, VA National Avg
Median Home Value $991,900 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent N/A $1,163
Homeownership Rate 98.0% 65.9%
Median Household Income $219,500 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Very Safe

Clifton's violent crime rate is 113.0 per 100,000 residents — 70% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
113.0 /100k
Property Crime
1530.7 /100k

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

Schools & Education

Clifton is served primarily by Fairfax County Public Schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13.3:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Clifton, VA National Avg
School District Fairfax County Public Schools
Elementary Schools 141
Middle Schools 24
High Schools 28
Student/Teacher Ratio 13.3:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 82.2% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 100.0% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Clifton sees average highs of 42.4°F in January and 87.5°F in July, with 47.1 inches of annual precipitation and 18.5 inches of snow per year.

MetricClifton, VA
Average High — January42.4°F
Average High — July87.5°F
Annual Precipitation47.1"
Annual Snowfall18.5"

Demographics

MetricClifton, VANational Avg
Population358
Median Age36.338.9
Unemployment Rate0.0%3.7%
Avg Commute Time29.1 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)98.9%59.3%
Black or African American0.3%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino0.3%18.9%
Asian0.0%6.3%
Under 1832.4%22.2%
65 and over15.9%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Clifton vs Other Cities

Frequently Asked Questions

Clifton's cost of living index is 109, where 100 is the national average. That puts Clifton roughly 9% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $991,900 and median rent is N/A/month.
Clifton's violent crime rate is 113.0 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1530.7 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Clifton are operated by Fairfax County Public Schools. The district has 141 elementary, 24 middle, and 28 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13.3:1. 82.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Clifton, VA has a population of 358, a median household income of $219,500, and an unemployment rate of 0.0%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Clifton averages 42.4°F in January and 87.5°F in July. Annual rainfall is 47.1 inches with about 18.5 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
The population of Clifton, Virginia is 358 with a median age of 36.3. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Clifton: cost of living index 109 (100 = US average), median home $991,900, median household income $219,500, crime index 47 (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.