Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Clifton, NJ
VS
Portsmouth, 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
Portsmouth
Virginia
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$57,154
Violent Crime Index
198⚠ High
Population
97,384 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Clifton, NJ
Pros
78% less violent crime than Portsmouth
Households earn $37,025 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
Higher rents — median is $1,633/mo
Cost of living runs 15% higher than Portsmouth
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 112.5)
Portsmouth, VA
Pros
Homes cost $215k less ($213,300 vs $428,000)
Rent averages $408/mo less ($1,225 vs $1,633)
15% cheaper overall cost of living than Clifton
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
Milder winters — January highs near 49°F vs 39°F
Cons
Median income trails Clifton by $37,025/yr
Violent crime (752.4/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3860.8/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Clifton
Median Income
$37,025
$94,179 vs $57,154/yr
Clifton
Violent Crime
78% lower
165.8 vs 752.4 per 100k
Portsmouth
Cost of Living
15% cheaper
COL index 97.4 vs 112.5 (100 = US avg)
Portsmouth
Median Home Value
$215k less
$213,300 vs $428,000
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Clifton, NJ | Portsmouth, 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 | $213,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,633⚠ High | $1,225 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $94,179 ✓ Higher | $57,154 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.6 min⚠ High | 23.2 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 8.1% ✓ Higher | 6.6% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 69 ✓ Safer | 192⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 44 ✓ Safer | 198⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 108⚠ High ✓ Safer | 184⚠ 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 | 13.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 34.3% ✓ Higher | 21.2% |
| High School or Higher | 89.1% | 89.5% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Clifton Public School District | Portsmouth City Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 39.3°F | 48.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 86.5°F | 88.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.6" | 50.0" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 28.2" | 3.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 89,451 | 97,384 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 40.2 ✓ Older | 35.6 |
| Homeownership Rate | 57.5% ✓ Higher | 56.1% |
| Under 18 | 19.7% | 23.1% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 17.5% ✓ More | 15.1% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Clifton's cost of living index is 112.5 vs Portsmouth's 97.4 (US average = 100).
Portsmouth is 15% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Clifton leads 12 of 23 categories. Clifton wins 12 and Portsmouth 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 Portsmouth or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($428,000 vs $213,300 median home), income ($94,179 vs $57,154), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Clifton, NJ and Portsmouth, VA are about 301 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.