Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Clifton, NJ
VS
Pittsburgh, PA
🏆 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
Pittsburgh
Pennsylvania
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
94.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$60,187
Violent Crime Index
112⚠ High
Population
303,843 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Clifton, NJ
Pros
Households earn $33,992 more per year on average
61% less violent crime than Pittsburgh
Violent crime is well below the national average (165.8 vs 380/100k)
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $428,000
Higher rents — median is $1,633/mo
Cost of living runs 18% higher than Pittsburgh
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 112.5)
Pittsburgh, PA
Pros
Homes cost $256k less ($171,800 vs $428,000)
Rent averages $480/mo less ($1,153 vs $1,633)
18% cheaper overall cost of living than Clifton
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.7 pts lower (5.7%)
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
More college-educated — 46.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Median income trails Clifton by $33,992/yr
Snowy winters — about 44" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Clifton
Median Income
$33,992
$94,179 vs $60,187/yr
Clifton
Violent Crime
61% lower
165.8 vs 427.2 per 100k
Clifton
Summer Heat
3.5°F warmer
July avg high 86.5°F vs 83.0°F
Pittsburgh
Cost of Living
18% cheaper
COL index 94.4 vs 112.5 (100 = US avg)
Pittsburgh
Median Home Value
$256k less
$171,800 vs $428,000
Pittsburgh
Unemployment
0.7 pp lower
5.7% vs 6.4% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Clifton, NJ | Pittsburgh, PA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 112.5⚠ High | 94.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $428,000⚠ High | $171,800 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,633⚠ High | $1,153 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $94,179 ✓ Higher | $60,187 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.4%⚠ High | 5.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.6 min⚠ High | 23.4 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 8.1% | 17.5% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 69 ✓ Safer | 111⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 44 ✓ Safer | 112⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 108⚠ High ✓ Safer | 109⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (110) | A- (115) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 11.6:1 ✓ Smaller | 11.8:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 34.3% | 46.7% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 89.1% | 93.9% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Clifton Public School District | Pittsburgh SD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 39.3°F ✓ Warmer | 36.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 86.5°F ✓ Warmer | 83.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.6" | 41.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 28.2" ✓ Less | 44.1" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 89,451 | 303,843 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 40.2 ✓ Older | 33.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 57.5% ✓ Higher | 47.4% |
| Under 18 | 19.7% ✓ More | 14.6% |
| Over 65 | 17.5% ✓ More | 15.1% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Clifton's cost of living index is 112.5 vs Pittsburgh's 94.4 (US average = 100).
Pittsburgh is 18% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Clifton leads 12 of 23 categories. Clifton wins 12 and Pittsburgh 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 Pittsburgh or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($428,000 vs $171,800 median home), income ($94,179 vs $60,187), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Clifton, NJ and Pittsburgh, PA are about 306 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.