Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Clifton, NJ
VS
Surprise, AZ
🏆 Surprise leads 17 of 23 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
Surprise
Arizona
17
wins
Cost of Living Index
101.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$87,756
Violent Crime Index
29 ✓ Safer
Population
145,591 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Clifton, NJ
Pros
Violent crime is well below the national average (165.8 vs 380/100k)
Rent averages $189/mo less ($1,633 vs $1,822)
Cooler summers — July highs near 87°F vs 105°F
Households earn $6,423 more per year on average
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)
Cost of living runs 11% higher than Surprise
Higher unemployment (6.4% vs 4.6%)
Surprise, AZ
Pros
34% less violent crime than Clifton
Violent crime is well below the national average (109.1 vs 380/100k)
Homes cost $75k less ($352,600 vs $428,000)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.8 pts lower (4.6%)
Milder winters — January highs near 65°F vs 39°F
11% cheaper overall cost of living than Clifton
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,822/mo
Hot summers — July highs average 105°F
Median income trails Clifton by $6,423/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Clifton
Median Income
$6,423
$94,179 vs $87,756/yr
Surprise
Cost of Living
11% cheaper
COL index 101.2 vs 112.5 (100 = US avg)
Surprise
Violent Crime
34% lower
109.1 vs 165.8 per 100k
Surprise
Median Home Value
$75k less
$352,600 vs $428,000
Surprise
Unemployment
1.8 pp lower
4.6% vs 6.4% unemployment
Surprise
Summer Heat
18.1°F warmer
July avg high 104.6°F vs 86.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Clifton, NJ | Surprise, AZ |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 112.5⚠ High | 101.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $428,000⚠ High | $352,600⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,633⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,822⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $94,179 ✓ Higher | $87,756 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.4%⚠ High | 4.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.6 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter | 30.5 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 8.1% | 14.8% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 69 | 34 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 44 | 29 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 108⚠ High | 42 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (110) ✓ Better | B- (95) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 11.6:1 ✓ Smaller | 20.0:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 34.3% ✓ Higher | 31.0% |
| High School or Higher | 89.1% | 93.7% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Clifton Public School District | Dysart Unified District (4243) |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 39.3°F | 65.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 86.5°F | 104.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.6" | 9.9" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 28.2" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 89,451 | 145,591 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 40.2 | 41.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 57.5% | 78.4% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 19.7% | 24.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 17.5% | 22.6% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Clifton's cost of living index is 112.5 vs Surprise's 101.2 (US average = 100).
Surprise is 11% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Surprise leads 17 of 23 categories. Clifton wins 6 and Surprise wins 17. 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 Surprise or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($428,000 vs $352,600 median home), income ($94,179 vs $87,756), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Clifton, NJ and Surprise, AZ are about 2,145 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.