Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Clifton, NJ
VS
Palm Coast, FL
🏆 Palm Coast leads 14 of 20 categories
Clifton
New Jersey
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
112.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$94,179 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
44
Population
89,451
Palm Coast
Florida
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
104.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$68,824
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
91,082 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Clifton, NJ
Pros
Households earn $25,355 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
Smaller class sizes — 11.6:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $428,000
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 112.5)
Higher unemployment (6.4% vs 4.1%)
Cost of living runs 8% higher than Palm Coast
Palm Coast, FL
Pros
Homes cost $145k less ($283,300 vs $428,000)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.3 pts lower (4.1%)
Milder winters — January highs near 65°F vs 39°F
8% cheaper overall cost of living than Clifton
Cons
Median income trails Clifton by $25,355/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Clifton
Median Income
$25,355
$94,179 vs $68,824/yr
Palm Coast
Cost of Living
8% cheaper
COL index 104.5 vs 112.5 (100 = US avg)
Palm Coast
Median Home Value
$145k less
$283,300 vs $428,000
Palm Coast
Unemployment
2.3 pp lower
4.1% vs 6.4% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Clifton, NJ | Palm Coast, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 112.5⚠ High | 104.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $428,000⚠ High | $283,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,633⚠ High | $1,621⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $94,179 ✓ Higher | $68,824 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.4%⚠ High | 4.1%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.6 min⚠ High | 28.0 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 8.1% | 13.1% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 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 | B- (94) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 11.6:1 ✓ Smaller | 17.6:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 34.3% ✓ Higher | 26.4% |
| High School or Higher | 89.1% | 91.8% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Clifton Public School District | FLAGLER |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 39.3°F | 65.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 86.5°F | 87.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.6" ✓ Drier | 51.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 28.2" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 89,451 | 91,082 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 40.2 | 50.3 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 57.5% | 77.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 19.7% ✓ More | 17.6% |
| Over 65 | 17.5% | 29.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Clifton's cost of living index is 112.5 vs Palm Coast's 104.5 (US average = 100).
Palm Coast is 8% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, Palm Coast leads 14 of 20 categories. Clifton wins 6 and Palm Coast wins 14. 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 Palm Coast or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($428,000 vs $283,300 median home), income ($94,179 vs $68,824), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Clifton, NJ and Palm Coast, FL are about 878 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.