Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Clifton, NJ
VS
El Paso, TX
🏆 El Paso leads 12 of 23 categories
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
El Paso
Texas
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.2 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$55,710
Violent Crime Index
73
Population
677,181 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Clifton, NJ
Pros
Households earn $38,469 more per year on average
40% less violent crime than El Paso
Violent crime is well below the national average (165.8 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 34.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 87°F vs 96°F
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 22% higher than El Paso
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 112.5)
El Paso, TX
Pros
Homes cost $269k less ($159,300 vs $428,000)
Rent averages $657/mo less ($976 vs $1,633)
22% cheaper overall cost of living than Clifton
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
Milder winters — January highs near 59°F vs 39°F
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.2)
Cons
Median income trails Clifton by $38,469/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Clifton
Median Income
$38,469
$94,179 vs $55,710/yr
Clifton
Violent Crime
40% lower
165.8 vs 278.4 per 100k
El Paso
Cost of Living
22% cheaper
COL index 90.2 vs 112.5 (100 = US avg)
El Paso
Median Home Value
$269k less
$159,300 vs $428,000
El Paso
Summer Heat
9.3°F warmer
July avg high 95.8°F vs 86.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Clifton, NJ | El Paso, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 112.5⚠ High | 90.2 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $428,000⚠ High | $159,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,633⚠ High | $976 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $94,179 ✓ Higher | $55,710 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.8%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.6 min⚠ High | 23.7 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 8.1% ✓ Higher | 6.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 69 ✓ Safer | 72 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 44 ✓ Safer | 73 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 108⚠ High | 71 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (110) ✓ Better | B- (94) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 11.6:1 ✓ Smaller | 14.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 34.3% ✓ Higher | 27.1% |
| High School or Higher | 89.1% ✓ Higher | 81.5% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Clifton Public School District | EL PASO ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 39.3°F | 58.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 86.5°F | 95.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.6" | 10.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 28.2" | 2.8" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 89,451 | 677,181 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 40.2 ✓ Older | 33.7 |
| Homeownership Rate | 57.5% | 59.5% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 19.7% | 25.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 17.5% ✓ More | 13.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Clifton's cost of living index is 112.5 vs El Paso's 90.2 (US average = 100).
El Paso is 22% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, El Paso leads 12 of 23 categories. Clifton wins 11 and El Paso wins 12. 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 El Paso or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($428,000 vs $159,300 median home), income ($94,179 vs $55,710), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Clifton, NJ and El Paso, TX are about 1,888 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.