Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Clifton, NJ
VS
Columbus, OH
🏆 It's a dead heat — 11 categories each
Clifton
New Jersey
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
112.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$94,179 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
44 ✓ Safer
Population
89,451
Columbus
Ohio
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
94.5 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$62,994
Violent Crime Index
114⚠ High
Population
902,449 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Clifton, NJ
Pros
62% less violent crime than Columbus
Households earn $31,185 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (165.8 vs 380/100k)
Smaller class sizes — 11.6:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $428,000
Higher rents — median is $1,633/mo
Cost of living runs 18% higher than Columbus
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 112.5)
Columbus, OH
Pros
Homes cost $216k less ($212,500 vs $428,000)
Rent averages $472/mo less ($1,161 vs $1,633)
18% cheaper overall cost of living than Clifton
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.2 pts lower (5.2%)
Commutes run 7 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 94.5)
Cons
Median income trails Clifton by $31,185/yr
Property crime (2653.3/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Clifton
Median Income
$31,185
$94,179 vs $62,994/yr
Clifton
Violent Crime
62% lower
165.8 vs 434.9 per 100k
Columbus
Cost of Living
18% cheaper
COL index 94.5 vs 112.5 (100 = US avg)
Columbus
Median Home Value
$216k less
$212,500 vs $428,000
Columbus
Unemployment
1.2 pp lower
5.2% vs 6.4% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Clifton, NJ | Columbus, OH |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 112.5⚠ High | 94.5 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $428,000⚠ High | $212,500 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,633⚠ High | $1,161 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $94,179 ✓ Higher | $62,994 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.4%⚠ High | 5.2%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.6 min⚠ High | 22.0 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 8.1% | 13.8% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 69 ✓ Safer | 119⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 44 ✓ Safer | 114⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 108⚠ High ✓ Safer | 126⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (110) ✓ Better | B (97) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 11.6:1 ✓ Smaller | 15.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 34.3% | 38.3% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 89.1% | 90.3% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Clifton Public School District | Columbus City Schools District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 39.3°F ✓ Warmer | 36.5°F |
| Avg High — July | 86.5°F ✓ Warmer | 85.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.6" | 42.2" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 28.2" | 28.2" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 89,451 | 902,449 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 40.2 ✓ Older | 32.7 |
| Homeownership Rate | 57.5% ✓ Higher | 44.7% |
| Under 18 | 19.7% | 21.9% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 17.5% ✓ More | 10.7% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Clifton's cost of living index is 112.5 vs Columbus's 94.5 (US average = 100).
Columbus is 18% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, It's a dead heat — 11 categories each. Clifton wins 11 and Columbus wins 11. 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 Clifton to Columbus or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($428,000 vs $212,500 median home), income ($94,179 vs $62,994), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Clifton, NJ and Columbus, OH are about 468 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.