Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Clifton, NJ
VS
Newport News, VA
🏆 Clifton leads 12 of 23 categories
Clifton
New Jersey
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
112.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$94,179 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
44 ✓ Safer
Population
89,451
Newport News
Virginia
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$63,355
Violent Crime Index
194⚠ High
Population
185,118 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Clifton, NJ
Pros
77% less violent crime than Newport News
Households earn $30,824 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
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $428,000
Higher rents — median is $1,633/mo
Cost of living runs 15% higher than Newport News
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 112.5)
Newport News, VA
Pros
Homes cost $195k less ($233,400 vs $428,000)
Rent averages $424/mo less ($1,209 vs $1,633)
15% cheaper overall cost of living than Clifton
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.8 pts lower (5.6%)
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
Milder winters — January highs near 49°F vs 39°F
Cons
Median income trails Clifton by $30,824/yr
Violent crime (736.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Key Differences at a Glance
Clifton
Median Income
$30,824
$94,179 vs $63,355/yr
Clifton
Violent Crime
77% lower
165.8 vs 736.0 per 100k
Newport News
Cost of Living
15% cheaper
COL index 97.4 vs 112.5 (100 = US avg)
Newport News
Median Home Value
$195k less
$233,400 vs $428,000
Newport News
Unemployment
0.8 pp lower
5.6% vs 6.4% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Clifton, NJ | Newport News, VA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 112.5⚠ High | 97.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $428,000⚠ High | $233,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,633⚠ High | $1,209 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $94,179 ✓ Higher | $63,355 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.4%⚠ High | 5.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.6 min⚠ High | 23.4 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 8.1% ✓ Higher | 7.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 69 ✓ Safer | 162⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 44 ✓ Safer | 194⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 108⚠ High ✓ Safer | 115⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (110) ✓ Better | B+ (105) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 11.6:1 ✓ Smaller | 12.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 34.3% ✓ Higher | 28.7% |
| High School or Higher | 89.1% | 91.7% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Clifton Public School District | Newport News City Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 39.3°F | 49.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 86.5°F | 88.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.6" ✓ Drier | 51.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 28.2" | 2.7" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 89,451 | 185,118 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 40.2 ✓ Older | 34.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 57.5% ✓ Higher | 47.6% |
| Under 18 | 19.7% | 23.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 17.5% ✓ More | 13.4% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Clifton's cost of living index is 112.5 vs Newport News's 97.4 (US average = 100).
Newport News is 15% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Clifton leads 12 of 23 categories. Clifton wins 12 and Newport News wins 11. 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 Newport News or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($428,000 vs $233,400 median home), income ($94,179 vs $63,355), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Clifton, NJ and Newport News, VA are about 291 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.