Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Clifton, NJ
VS
Paterson, NJ
🏆 Clifton leads 13 of 19 categories
Clifton
New Jersey
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
112.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$94,179 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
44 ✓ Safer
Population
89,451
Paterson
New Jersey
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
112.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$52,092
Violent Crime Index
258⚠ High
Population
157,864 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Clifton, NJ
Pros
Households earn $42,087 more per year on average
83% less violent crime than Paterson
Stronger job market — unemployment is 4.1 pts lower (6.4%)
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
Higher rents — median is $1,633/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 112.5)
Longer commutes — 28.6 min average each way
Paterson, NJ
Pros
Homes cost $114k less ($314,100 vs $428,000)
Rent averages $241/mo less ($1,392 vs $1,633)
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
Cons
Median income trails Clifton by $42,087/yr
Violent crime (978.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 112.5)
Higher unemployment (10.5% vs 6.4%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Clifton
Median Income
$42,087
$94,179 vs $52,092/yr
Clifton
Violent Crime
83% lower
165.8 vs 978.6 per 100k
Clifton
Unemployment
4.1 pp lower
6.4% vs 10.5% unemployment
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 112.5 on the COL index
Paterson
Median Home Value
$114k less
$314,100 vs $428,000
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Clifton, NJ | Paterson, NJ |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 112.5⚠ High | 112.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $428,000⚠ High | $314,100⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,633⚠ High | $1,392⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $94,179 ✓ Higher | $52,092 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 10.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.6 min⚠ High | 23.4 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 8.1% ✓ Higher | 3.6% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 69 ✓ Safer | 199⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 44 ✓ Safer | 258⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 108⚠ High ✓ Safer | 112⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (110) ✓ Better | C+ (87) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 11.6:1 ✓ Smaller | 14.0:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 34.3% ✓ Higher | 12.6% |
| High School or Higher | 89.1% ✓ Higher | 76.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Clifton Public School District | Paterson Public School District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 39.3°F | 39.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 86.5°F | 86.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.6" | 49.4" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 28.2" | 28.2" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 89,451 | 157,864 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 40.2 ✓ Older | 33.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 57.5% ✓ Higher | 26.3% |
| Under 18 | 19.7% | 27.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 17.5% ✓ More | 11.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Clifton's cost of living index is 112.5 vs Paterson's 112.5 (US average = 100).
Both have a similar overall cost of living.
Based on the 19 decided categories above, Clifton leads 13 of 19 categories. Clifton wins 13 and Paterson wins 6. 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 Paterson or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($428,000 vs $314,100 median home), income ($94,179 vs $52,092), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Clifton, NJ and Paterson, NJ are about 4 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.