Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Clifton, NJ
VS
San Antonio, TX
🏆 San Antonio leads 12 of 23 categories
Clifton
New Jersey
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
112.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$94,179 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
44 ✓ Safer
Population
89,451
San Antonio
Texas
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.7 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$59,593
Violent Crime Index
156⚠ High
Population
1,445,662 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Clifton, NJ
Pros
72% less violent crime than San Antonio
Households earn $34,586 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
Cooler summers — July highs near 87°F vs 94°F
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 19% higher than San Antonio
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 112.5)
San Antonio, TX
Pros
Homes cost $230k less ($198,000 vs $428,000)
Rent averages $444/mo less ($1,189 vs $1,633)
19% cheaper overall cost of living than Clifton
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.5 pts lower (5.9%)
Milder winters — January highs near 63°F vs 39°F
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
Cons
Median income trails Clifton by $34,586/yr
Violent crime (594.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (4623.6/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Clifton
Median Income
$34,586
$94,179 vs $59,593/yr
Clifton
Violent Crime
72% lower
165.8 vs 594.1 per 100k
San Antonio
Cost of Living
19% cheaper
COL index 93.7 vs 112.5 (100 = US avg)
San Antonio
Median Home Value
$230k less
$198,000 vs $428,000
San Antonio
Unemployment
0.5 pp lower
5.9% vs 6.4% unemployment
San Antonio
Summer Heat
7.5°F warmer
July avg high 94.0°F vs 86.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Clifton, NJ | San Antonio, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 112.5⚠ High | 93.7 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $428,000⚠ High | $198,000 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,633⚠ High | $1,189 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $94,179 ✓ Higher | $59,593 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.4%⚠ High | 5.9%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.6 min⚠ High | 24.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 8.1% | 9.8% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 69 ✓ Safer | 182⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 44 ✓ Safer | 156⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 108⚠ High ✓ Safer | 220⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (110) ✓ Better | B (97) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 11.6:1 ✓ Smaller | 14.2:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 34.3% ✓ Higher | 27.7% |
| High School or Higher | 89.1% ✓ Higher | 83.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Clifton Public School District | NORTHSIDE ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 39.3°F | 63.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 86.5°F | 94.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.6" | 34.0" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 28.2" | 0.1" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 89,451 | 1,445,662 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 40.2 ✓ Older | 34.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 57.5% ✓ Higher | 51.9% |
| Under 18 | 19.7% | 24.1% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 17.5% ✓ More | 12.8% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Clifton's cost of living index is 112.5 vs San Antonio's 93.7 (US average = 100).
San Antonio is 19% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, San Antonio leads 12 of 23 categories. Clifton wins 11 and San Antonio wins 12. 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 San Antonio or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($428,000 vs $198,000 median home), income ($94,179 vs $59,593), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Clifton, NJ and San Antonio, TX are about 1,578 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.