Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Clifton, NJ
VS
Visalia, CA
🏆 Visalia leads 13 of 23 categories
Clifton
New Jersey
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
112.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$94,179 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
44 ✓ Safer
Population
89,451
Visalia
California
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
101.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$75,658
Violent Crime Index
115⚠ High
Population
141,466 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Clifton, NJ
Pros
62% less violent crime than Visalia
Households earn $18,521 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
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 112.5)
Cost of living runs 11% higher than Visalia
Visalia, CA
Pros
Homes cost $111k less ($316,600 vs $428,000)
Rent averages $344/mo less ($1,289 vs $1,633)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.8 pts lower (5.6%)
Commutes run 7 min shorter each way
11% cheaper overall cost of living than Clifton
Milder winters — January highs near 55°F vs 39°F
Cons
Median income trails Clifton by $18,521/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Clifton
Median Income
$18,521
$94,179 vs $75,658/yr
Clifton
Violent Crime
62% lower
165.8 vs 435.3 per 100k
Visalia
Cost of Living
11% cheaper
COL index 101.3 vs 112.5 (100 = US avg)
Visalia
Median Home Value
$111k less
$316,600 vs $428,000
Visalia
Unemployment
0.8 pp lower
5.6% vs 6.4% unemployment
Visalia
Summer Heat
7.3°F warmer
July avg high 93.8°F vs 86.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Clifton, NJ | Visalia, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 112.5⚠ High | 101.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $428,000⚠ High | $316,600⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,633⚠ High | $1,289 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $94,179 ✓ Higher | $75,658 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.4%⚠ High | 5.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.6 min⚠ High | 21.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 8.1% ✓ Higher | 6.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 69 ✓ Safer | 109⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 44 ✓ Safer | 115⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 108⚠ High | 101⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (110) ✓ Better | C+ (88) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 11.6:1 ✓ Smaller | 21.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 34.3% ✓ Higher | 23.3% |
| High School or Higher | 89.1% ✓ Higher | 86.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Clifton Public School District | Visalia Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 39.3°F | 55.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 86.5°F | 93.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.6" | 10.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 28.2" | 0.1" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 89,451 | 141,466 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 40.2 ✓ Older | 33.0 |
| Homeownership Rate | 57.5% | 60.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 19.7% | 28.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 17.5% ✓ More | 13.2% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Clifton's cost of living index is 112.5 vs Visalia's 101.3 (US average = 100).
Visalia is 11% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Visalia leads 13 of 23 categories. Clifton wins 10 and Visalia wins 13. 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 Visalia or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($428,000 vs $316,600 median home), income ($94,179 vs $75,658), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Clifton, NJ and Visalia, CA are about 2,432 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.