Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Clifton, NJ
VS
Yakima, WA
🏆 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
Yakima
Washington
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
101.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$55,734
Violent Crime Index
143⚠ High
Population
96,764 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Clifton, NJ
Pros
Households earn $38,445 more per year on average
70% less violent crime than Yakima
Violent crime is well below the national average (165.8 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.7 pts lower (6.4%)
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
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 112.5)
Cost of living runs 11% higher than Yakima
Yakima, WA
Pros
Homes cost $185k less ($243,300 vs $428,000)
Rent averages $619/mo less ($1,014 vs $1,633)
Commutes run 11 min shorter each way
11% cheaper overall cost of living than Clifton
Cons
Median income trails Clifton by $38,445/yr
Violent crime (544.3/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher unemployment (8.1% vs 6.4%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Clifton
Median Income
$38,445
$94,179 vs $55,734/yr
Clifton
Violent Crime
70% lower
165.8 vs 544.3 per 100k
Clifton
Unemployment
1.7 pp lower
6.4% vs 8.1% unemployment
Yakima
Cost of Living
11% cheaper
COL index 101.6 vs 112.5 (100 = US avg)
Yakima
Median Home Value
$185k less
$243,300 vs $428,000
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Clifton, NJ | Yakima, WA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 112.5⚠ High | 101.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $428,000⚠ High | $243,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,633⚠ High | $1,014 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $94,179 ✓ Higher | $55,734 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 8.1%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.6 min⚠ High | 17.9 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 8.1% ✓ Higher | 5.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 69 ✓ Safer | 125⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 44 ✓ Safer | 143⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 108⚠ High | 97 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (110) ✓ Better | C (79) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 11.6:1 ✓ Smaller | 17.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 34.3% ✓ Higher | 19.3% |
| High School or Higher | 89.1% ✓ Higher | 77.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Clifton Public School District | Yakima School District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 39.3°F | 39.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 86.5°F | 88.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.6" | 8.6" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 28.2" | 20.3" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 89,451 | 96,764 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 40.2 ✓ Older | 33.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 57.5% ✓ Higher | 53.1% |
| Under 18 | 19.7% | 27.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 17.5% ✓ More | 15.8% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Clifton's cost of living index is 112.5 vs Yakima's 101.6 (US average = 100).
Yakima is 11% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Clifton leads 12 of 23 categories. Clifton wins 12 and Yakima 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 Yakima or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($428,000 vs $243,300 median home), income ($94,179 vs $55,734), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Clifton, NJ and Yakima, WA are about 2,316 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.