Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Clifton, NJ
VS
Laredo, TX
🏆 Laredo 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
Laredo
Texas
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
87.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$60,928
Violent Crime Index
96
Population
255,293 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Clifton, NJ
Pros
Households earn $33,251 more per year on average
55% less violent crime than Laredo
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 100°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 25% higher than Laredo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 112.5)
Laredo, TX
Pros
Homes cost $264k less ($164,400 vs $428,000)
Rent averages $665/mo less ($968 vs $1,633)
25% cheaper overall cost of living than Clifton
Milder winters — January highs near 68°F vs 39°F
Commutes run 7 min shorter each way
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.5 pts lower (5.9%)
Cons
Median income trails Clifton by $33,251/yr
Hot summers — July highs average 100°F
Key Differences at a Glance
Clifton
Median Income
$33,251
$94,179 vs $60,928/yr
Clifton
Violent Crime
55% lower
165.8 vs 365.8 per 100k
Laredo
Cost of Living
25% cheaper
COL index 87.8 vs 112.5 (100 = US avg)
Laredo
Median Home Value
$264k less
$164,400 vs $428,000
Laredo
Unemployment
0.5 pp lower
5.9% vs 6.4% unemployment
Laredo
Summer Heat
13.8°F warmer
July avg high 100.3°F vs 86.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Clifton, NJ | Laredo, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 112.5⚠ High | 87.8 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $428,000⚠ High | $164,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,633⚠ High | $968 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $94,179 ✓ Higher | $60,928 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.4%⚠ High | 5.9%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.6 min⚠ High | 21.3 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 8.1% ✓ Higher | 4.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 69 ✓ Safer | 86 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 44 ✓ Safer | 96 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 108⚠ High | 70 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (110) ✓ Better | C (82) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 11.6:1 ✓ Smaller | 15.8:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 34.3% ✓ Higher | 21.1% |
| High School or Higher | 89.1% ✓ Higher | 69.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Clifton Public School District | UNITED ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 39.3°F | 68.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 86.5°F | 100.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.6" | 19.7" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 28.2" | 0.1" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 89,451 | 255,293 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 40.2 ✓ Older | 29.3 |
| Homeownership Rate | 57.5% | 62.7% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 19.7% | 31.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 17.5% ✓ More | 9.6% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Clifton's cost of living index is 112.5 vs Laredo's 87.8 (US average = 100).
Laredo is 25% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Laredo leads 13 of 23 categories. Clifton wins 10 and Laredo 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 Laredo or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($428,000 vs $164,400 median home), income ($94,179 vs $60,928), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Clifton, NJ and Laredo, TX are about 1,705 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.