Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Clifton, NJ
VS
Lehigh Acres, FL
🏆 It's a dead heat — 10 categories each
Clifton
New Jersey
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
112.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$94,179 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
44
Population
89,451
Lehigh Acres
Florida
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$59,733
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
124,440 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Clifton, NJ
Pros
Households earn $34,446 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (165.8 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 34.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Commutes run 8 min shorter each way
Smaller class sizes — 11.6:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $428,000
Higher rents — median is $1,633/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 112.5)
Cost of living runs 10% higher than Lehigh Acres
Lehigh Acres, FL
Pros
Homes cost $197k less ($231,500 vs $428,000)
Milder winters — January highs near 75°F vs 39°F
Rent averages $235/mo less ($1,398 vs $1,633)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.9 pts lower (5.5%)
10% cheaper overall cost of living than Clifton
Cons
Median income trails Clifton by $34,446/yr
Longer commutes — 36.3 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
Clifton
Median Income
$34,446
$94,179 vs $59,733/yr
Lehigh Acres
Cost of Living
10% cheaper
COL index 102.3 vs 112.5 (100 = US avg)
Lehigh Acres
Median Home Value
$197k less
$231,500 vs $428,000
Lehigh Acres
Unemployment
0.9 pp lower
5.5% vs 6.4% unemployment
Lehigh Acres
Summer Heat
4.1°F warmer
July avg high 90.6°F vs 86.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Clifton, NJ | Lehigh Acres, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 112.5⚠ High | 102.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $428,000⚠ High | $231,500 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,633⚠ High | $1,398⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $94,179 ✓ Higher | $59,733 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.4%⚠ High | 5.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.6 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter | 36.3 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 8.1% ✓ Higher | 6.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 69 | — |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 44 | — |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 108⚠ High | — |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (110) ✓ Better | C (81) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 11.6:1 ✓ Smaller | 20.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 34.3% ✓ Higher | 15.8% |
| High School or Higher | 89.1% ✓ Higher | 81.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Clifton Public School District | LEE |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 39.3°F | 74.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 86.5°F | 90.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.6" ✓ Drier | 62.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 28.2" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 89,451 | 124,440 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 40.2 ✓ Older | 34.3 |
| Homeownership Rate | 57.5% | 67.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 19.7% | 27.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 17.5% ✓ More | 13.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Clifton's cost of living index is 112.5 vs Lehigh Acres's 102.3 (US average = 100).
Lehigh Acres is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, It's a dead heat — 10 categories each. Clifton wins 10 and Lehigh Acres wins 10. 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 Lehigh Acres or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($428,000 vs $231,500 median home), income ($94,179 vs $59,733), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Clifton, NJ and Lehigh Acres, FL are about 1,073 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.