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: 108.6Clifton'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 SafeClifton's violent crime rate is 113.0 per 100,000 residents — 70% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
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.
| Metric | Clifton, VA |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 42.4°F |
| Average High — July | 87.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 18.5" |
Demographics
| Metric | Clifton, VA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 358 | — |
| Median Age | 36.3 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 0.0% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 29.1 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 98.9% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 0.3% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 0.3% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 0.0% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 32.4% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 15.9% | 16.8% |