City profile · New Jersey · Census ACS 2023

Clifton, NJ

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Clifton - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

89,247
Residents
$99,003
Median income
$444,300
Median home
$2,205
Median rent (state)

Clifton - the verdict

Nationally, Clifton sits in the 77th percentile for household income and the 23rd percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

77th
percentile, household income
81st
percentile, home value
86th
percentile, median rent
23rd
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Clifton, NJ

New Jersey's Clifton is a small city, with 89,247 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Median household income here is $99,003 per year, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 6.1%. Clifton's housing stock carries a median value of $444,300, and the median resident age is 41.1 years. 34.5% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 63.5% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 155 residential building permits were authorized in Clifton (Building Boom), up 1007% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: per-100,000 total crime stands at 2431.3 in FBI UCR data, near the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

New Jersey carries a cost-of-living premium: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, New Jersey scores 108.8 (Well Above Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $2,205 per month statewide. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts New Jersey's average monthly utility costs around $275 (state average). Commute times here average 26.1 minutes, with 68.6% driving alone and 10.4% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 97.7 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

89,247 residents

Census ACS 2023 - New Jersey

Median Household Income

$99,003 /yr

Poverty 6.1%

Cost of Living Index (state)

108.8 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, New Jersey average

How does Clifton compare to other US cities?

Clifton measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 77% higher than other cities
Home value 81% pricier than other cities
Median rent 86% pricier than other cities
Safety 23% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at New Jersey, Clifton ranks #202 of 238 New Jersey cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Clifton's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in New Jersey, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

77thIncome percentile
23rdSafety percentile

77th percentile nationally for median household income · 23rd percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Clifton's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Clifton's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 39 Avg. percentile National median
Clifton's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Clifton's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$444,300 19th percentile more affordable than 19% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). This entry sits in this band. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Clifton $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Clifton, NJ Clifton, NJ's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Clifton, NJ-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Clifton, NJ median $99,003/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Clifton, NJ's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Clifton, NJ. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 34.5%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 6.1%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 63.5%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
89,247
Median Income
$99,003
Median Home Value
$444,300
Median Age
41.1
Poverty Rate
6.1%
Labor force participation
63.5%
Bachelor's Degree+
34.5%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2431.3
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
165.8
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2265.5
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
19
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
88,000 residents89,000 residents90,000 residents91,000 residents92,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 89,548 residents 91,127 residents ▲ +1.8%
Clifton's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
155
housing units authorized
Single-Family
20
detached homes
Multifamily
135
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
1.7
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 14
2020 33
2021 40
2022 329
2023 169
2024 155

Permit volume increased 1007% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
26.1 minutes
Drive Alone
68.6%
Carpool
7.6%
Public Transit
9.6%
Walk
1.9%
Work from Home
10.4%
Other
1.9%

Based on 45,387 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for New Jersey - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$120
avg/month
Natural Gas
$95
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$60
avg/month
Total Utilities
$275
estimated/month

Estimates reflect New Jersey state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a New Jersey state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Clifton sits in

Cost of Living Index
108.8
Well Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$2,205/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
97.7 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in New Jersey

Trenton
89,966 people
Toms River
93,915 people
Camden
71,471 people
Bayonne
70,468 people
Lakewood
69,884 people
Passaic
69,651 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Clifton's 89,247 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Fort Smith, AR
89,496 people
Waukegan, IL
88,919 people
Bloomington, MN
88,838 people
Champaign, IL
88,822 people
Merced, CA
89,766 people
Greenville, NC
88,540 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Clifton's $99,003 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Greenwood, NE
$99,000 median income
Marblemount, WA
$99,006 median income
Highland, NY
$99,010 median income
Orland Park, IL
$98,979 median income
Warrenville, IL
$99,028 median income
Daleville, VA
$99,028 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Clifton, NJ Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Clifton, NJ - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 55.3% 7.8% 14.9% 17.0% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 39.4% White 55.3% Black or African American 4.7% Asian 7.8% American Indian 0.3% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 14.9% Two or more races 17.0% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Clifton compares to nearby New Jersey cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Clifton (this city) 89,247 $99,003
Trenton 89,966 $47,102
Toms River 93,915 $95,759
Camden 71,471 $40,450
Census ACS 5-year FIPS NJ FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Clifton, NJ?

What is the population of Clifton, NJ? +

89,247 people live in Clifton, NJ according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Clifton, NJ? +

Median annual household income in Clifton runs $99,003, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Clifton? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Clifton; the closest available measure is the New Jersey state average, a cost of living index of 108.8 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within New Jersey vary by metro area.

Is Clifton, NJ safe? +

Clifton has a total crime rate of 2431.3 per 100,000 residents, which is near the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Clifton, NJ? +

A typical home in Clifton is worth $444,300, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.