Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Clifton, NJ
VS
Gainesville, FL
🏆 Gainesville leads 13 of 23 categories
Clifton
New Jersey
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
112.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$94,179 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
44 ✓ Safer
Population
89,451
Gainesville
Florida
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
96.9 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$43,783
Violent Crime Index
194⚠ High
Population
142,414 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Clifton, NJ
Pros
Households earn $50,396 more per year on average
78% less violent crime than Gainesville
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 16% higher than Gainesville
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 112.5)
Gainesville, FL
Pros
Homes cost $211k less ($216,600 vs $428,000)
Rent averages $482/mo less ($1,151 vs $1,633)
Commutes run 10 min shorter each way
16% cheaper overall cost of living than Clifton
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.9 pts lower (5.5%)
Milder winters — January highs near 67°F vs 39°F
Cons
Median income trails Clifton by $50,396/yr
Violent crime (738.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2703.7/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Clifton
Median Income
$50,396
$94,179 vs $43,783/yr
Clifton
Violent Crime
78% lower
165.8 vs 738.0 per 100k
Gainesville
Cost of Living
16% cheaper
COL index 96.9 vs 112.5 (100 = US avg)
Gainesville
Median Home Value
$211k less
$216,600 vs $428,000
Gainesville
Unemployment
0.9 pp lower
5.5% vs 6.4% unemployment
Gainesville
Summer Heat
4.6°F warmer
July avg high 91.1°F vs 86.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Clifton, NJ | Gainesville, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 112.5⚠ High | 96.9 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $428,000⚠ High | $216,600 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,633⚠ High | $1,151 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $94,179 ✓ Higher | $43,783 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.4%⚠ High | 5.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.6 min⚠ High | 18.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 8.1% | 10.8% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 69 ✓ Safer | 168⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 44 ✓ Safer | 194⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 108⚠ High ✓ Safer | 129⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (110) | A- (111) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 11.6:1 ✓ Smaller | 17.2:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 34.3% | 50.0% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 89.1% | 93.6% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Clifton Public School District | ALACHUA |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 39.3°F | 67.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 86.5°F | 91.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.6" ✓ Drier | 54.6" |
| Annual Snowfall | 28.2" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 89,451 | 142,414 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 40.2 ✓ Older | 26.0 |
| Homeownership Rate | 57.5% ✓ Higher | 38.5% |
| Under 18 | 19.7% ✓ More | 13.6% |
| Over 65 | 17.5% ✓ More | 11.1% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Clifton's cost of living index is 112.5 vs Gainesville's 96.9 (US average = 100).
Gainesville is 16% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Gainesville leads 13 of 23 categories. Clifton wins 10 and Gainesville wins 13. 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 Gainesville or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($428,000 vs $216,600 median home), income ($94,179 vs $43,783), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Clifton, NJ and Gainesville, FL are about 899 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.