Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Clifton, NJ
VS
Fishers, IN
🏆 Fishers leads 18 of 23 categories
Clifton
New Jersey
5
wins
Cost of Living Index
112.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$94,179
Violent Crime Index
44
Population
89,451
Fishers
Indiana
18
wins
Cost of Living Index
94.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$126,548 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
19 ✓ Safer
Population
99,041 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
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 Fishers by $32,369/yr
Pricier housing — median home is $428,000
Cost of living runs 18% higher than Fishers
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 112.5)
Fishers, IN
Pros
56% less violent crime than Clifton
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.9 pts lower (2.5%)
Households earn $32,369 more per year on average
Homes cost $89k less ($339,000 vs $428,000)
More college-educated — 65.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (72.9 vs 380/100k)
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Key Differences at a Glance
Fishers
Cost of Living
18% cheaper
COL index 94.6 vs 112.5 (100 = US avg)
Fishers
Median Income
$32,369
$126,548 vs $94,179/yr
Fishers
Violent Crime
56% lower
72.9 vs 165.8 per 100k
Fishers
Median Home Value
$89k less
$339,000 vs $428,000
Fishers
Unemployment
3.9 pp lower
2.5% vs 6.4% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Clifton, NJ | Fishers, IN |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 112.5⚠ High | 94.6 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $428,000⚠ High | $339,000⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,633⚠ High | $1,478⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $94,179 | $126,548 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.4%⚠ High | 2.5% ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.6 min⚠ High | 26.3 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 8.1% | 18.8% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 69 | 24 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 44 | 19 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 108⚠ High | 31 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (110) | A (118) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 11.6:1 ✓ Smaller | 17.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 34.3% | 65.7% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 89.1% | 98.0% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Clifton Public School District | Hamilton Southeastern Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 39.3°F ✓ Warmer | 34.5°F |
| Avg High — July | 86.5°F ✓ Warmer | 84.4°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.6" | 45.9" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 28.2" | 26.7" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 89,451 | 99,041 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 40.2 ✓ Older | 37.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 57.5% | 77.1% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 19.7% | 27.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 17.5% ✓ More | 10.7% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Clifton's cost of living index is 112.5 vs Fishers's 94.6 (US average = 100).
Fishers is 18% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Fishers leads 18 of 23 categories. Clifton wins 5 and Fishers wins 18. 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 Fishers or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($428,000 vs $339,000 median home), income ($94,179 vs $126,548), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Clifton, NJ and Fishers, IN are about 624 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.