Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Clifton, NJ
VS
West Valley City, UT
🏆 West Valley City 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
West Valley City
Utah
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
96.7 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$81,719
Violent Crime Index
124⚠ High
Population
138,868 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Clifton, NJ
Pros
65% less violent crime than West Valley City
Violent crime is well below the national average (165.8 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 34.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Households earn $12,460 more per year on average
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 16% higher than West Valley City
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 112.5)
West Valley City, UT
Pros
Homes cost $94k less ($333,600 vs $428,000)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.4 pts lower (4.0%)
Rent averages $273/mo less ($1,360 vs $1,633)
16% cheaper overall cost of living than Clifton
Commutes run 7 min shorter each way
Cons
Violent crime (469.5/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Clifton by $12,460/yr
Snowy winters — about 52" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Clifton
Median Income
$12,460
$94,179 vs $81,719/yr
Clifton
Violent Crime
65% lower
165.8 vs 469.5 per 100k
West Valley City
Cost of Living
16% cheaper
COL index 96.7 vs 112.5 (100 = US avg)
West Valley City
Median Home Value
$94k less
$333,600 vs $428,000
West Valley City
Unemployment
2.4 pp lower
4.0% vs 6.4% unemployment
West Valley City
Summer Heat
7.5°F warmer
July avg high 94.0°F vs 86.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Clifton, NJ | West Valley City, UT |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 112.5⚠ High | 96.7 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $428,000⚠ High | $333,600⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,633⚠ High | $1,360⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $94,179 ✓ Higher | $81,719 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.4%⚠ High | 4.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.6 min⚠ High | 21.9 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 8.1% | 8.3% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 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 | 124⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 108⚠ High | 88 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (110) ✓ Better | C- (73) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 11.6:1 ✓ Smaller | 22.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 34.3% ✓ Higher | 15.8% |
| High School or Higher | 89.1% ✓ Higher | 83.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Clifton Public School District | Granite District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 39.3°F ✓ Warmer | 38.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 86.5°F | 94.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.6" | 17.7" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 28.2" ✓ Less | 51.9" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 89,451 | 138,868 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 40.2 ✓ Older | 30.2 |
| Homeownership Rate | 57.5% | 71.1% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 19.7% | 31.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 17.5% ✓ More | 9.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Clifton's cost of living index is 112.5 vs West Valley City's 96.7 (US average = 100).
West Valley City is 16% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, West Valley City leads 12 of 23 categories. Clifton wins 11 and West Valley City 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 West Valley City or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($428,000 vs $333,600 median home), income ($94,179 vs $81,719), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Clifton, NJ and West Valley City, UT are about 1,965 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.