Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Clifton, NJ
VS
Murrieta, CA
🏆 Murrieta leads 13 of 23 categories
Clifton
New Jersey
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
112.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$94,179
Violent Crime Index
44 ✓ Safer
Population
89,451
Murrieta
California
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
107.9⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$106,925 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
48
Population
111,899 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Clifton, NJ
Pros
Homes cost $140k less ($428,000 vs $567,700)
Rent averages $517/mo less ($1,633 vs $2,150)
Violent crime is well below the national average (165.8 vs 380/100k)
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
More college-educated — 34.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 11.6:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 112.5)
Median income trails Murrieta by $12,746/yr
Cost of living runs 5% higher than Murrieta
Murrieta, CA
Pros
Violent crime is well below the national average (183.7 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 68°F vs 39°F
Households earn $12,746 more per year on average
5% cheaper overall cost of living than Clifton
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $567,700
Higher rents — median is $2,150/mo
Longer commutes — 35.0 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
Clifton
Violent Crime
10% lower
165.8 vs 183.7 per 100k
Clifton
Median Home Value
$140k less
$428,000 vs $567,700
Murrieta
Cost of Living
5% cheaper
COL index 107.9 vs 112.5 (100 = US avg)
Murrieta
Median Income
$12,746
$106,925 vs $94,179/yr
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Clifton, NJ | Murrieta, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 112.5⚠ High | 107.9⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $428,000⚠ High ✓ Lower | $567,700⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,633⚠ High ✓ Lower | $2,150⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $94,179 | $106,925 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.6 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter | 35.0 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 8.1% | 13.2% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 69 | 47 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 44 ✓ Safer | 48 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 108⚠ High | 45 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (110) ✓ Better | B- (93) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 11.6:1 ✓ Smaller | 23.4:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 34.3% ✓ Higher | 29.9% |
| High School or Higher | 89.1% | 92.5% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Clifton Public School District | Murrieta Valley Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 39.3°F | 67.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 86.5°F | 87.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.6" | 13.9" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 28.2" | 0.2" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 89,451 | 111,899 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 40.2 ✓ Older | 35.6 |
| Homeownership Rate | 57.5% | 67.5% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 19.7% | 27.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 17.5% ✓ More | 12.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Clifton's cost of living index is 112.5 vs Murrieta's 107.9 (US average = 100).
Murrieta is 5% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Murrieta leads 13 of 23 categories. Clifton wins 10 and Murrieta 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 Murrieta or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($428,000 vs $567,700 median home), income ($94,179 vs $106,925), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Clifton, NJ and Murrieta, CA are about 2,396 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.