Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Carmel, IN
VS
Clifton, NJ
🏆 Carmel leads 19 of 23 categories
Carmel
Indiana
19
wins
Cost of Living Index
94.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$132,859 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
17 ✓ Safer
Population
99,453 ✓ Larger
Clifton
New Jersey
4
wins
Cost of Living Index
112.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$94,179
Violent Crime Index
44
Population
89,451
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Carmel, IN
Pros
60% less violent crime than Clifton
Households earn $38,680 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.8 pts lower (2.6%)
More college-educated — 73.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (66.0 vs 380/100k)
18% cheaper overall cost of living than Clifton
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Clifton, NJ
Pros
Violent crime is well below the national average (165.8 vs 380/100k)
Smaller class sizes — 11.6:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Carmel by $38,680/yr
Cost of living runs 18% higher than Carmel
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 112.5)
Higher unemployment (6.4% vs 2.6%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Carmel
Cost of Living
18% cheaper
COL index 94.6 vs 112.5 (100 = US avg)
Carmel
Median Income
$38,680
$132,859 vs $94,179/yr
Carmel
Violent Crime
60% lower
66.0 vs 165.8 per 100k
Carmel
Unemployment
3.8 pp lower
2.6% vs 6.4% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Carmel, IN | Clifton, NJ |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 94.6 ✓ Cheaper | 112.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $425,900⚠ High ✓ Lower | $428,000⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,499⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,633⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $132,859 ✓ Higher | $94,179 |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.6% ✓ Lower | 6.4%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.2 min ✓ Shorter | 28.6 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 21.3% ✓ Higher | 8.1% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 26 ✓ Safer | 69 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 17 ✓ Safer | 44 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 39 ✓ Safer | 108⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (120) ✓ Better | A- (110) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.6:1 | 11.6:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 73.7% ✓ Higher | 34.3% |
| High School or Higher | 98.1% ✓ Higher | 89.1% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Carmel Clay Schools | Clifton Public School District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 34.5°F | 39.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 84.4°F | 86.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 44.2" ✓ Drier | 50.6" |
| Annual Snowfall | 20.3" ✓ Less | 28.2" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 99,453 ✓ Larger | 89,451 |
| Median Age | 40.6 ✓ Older | 40.2 |
| Homeownership Rate | 74.6% ✓ Higher | 57.5% |
| Under 18 | 24.8% ✓ More | 19.7% |
| Over 65 | 14.7% | 17.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Carmel's cost of living index is 94.6 vs Clifton's 112.5 (US average = 100).
Carmel is 18% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Carmel leads 19 of 23 categories. Carmel wins 19 and Clifton wins 4. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Carmel to Clifton or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($425,900 vs $428,000 median home), income ($132,859 vs $94,179), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Carmel, IN and Clifton, NJ are about 633 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.