City · Tennessee
Clifton, Tennessee
Clifton, city, in Wayne County, Tennessee. Clifton had 2,344 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 11.7% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 2,651 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 2,660 (±395). GEOID 4715480.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
2,344
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 2,651 · ACS 2020-2024: 2,660 ±395
Median household income
$43,571
±$17,953 (90% margin)
Tennessee: $69,595
Median home value
$122,100
±$35,557 (90% margin)
Tennessee: $286,700
Median gross rent
$681
±$27 (90% margin)
Tennessee: $1,189
Where is Clifton and what county is it in?
Clifton is a city in Wayne County, Tennessee. It covers 5.6 square miles of land, 477 residents per square mile in 2020.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Clifton, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 2,344 people lived in Clifton on July 1, 2025, down 11.7% since 2020, while Tennessee grew 5.8%. The 2020 Census counted 2,651 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 2,660 (±395).
| Measure | Clifton | Wayne County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 2,660 ±395 | 16,168 | no clear change |
| Households | 442 ±146 | 5,982 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.73 ±0.52 | 2.41 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 549 ±147 | 7,211 | no clear change |
Clifton's population since 2000
From 2,699 in 2000 to 2,344 in 2025: down 13.2%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Clifton as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Clifton?
The median resident of Clifton is 44.1 years old; 9.7% are under 18 and 12.1% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 61.4%, then non-Hispanic Black residents at 20.2%. 4.8% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Clifton | Wayne County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.1 ±3.7 | 44.4 | +5.1 |
| Under 18 years | 9.7% ±3.5 pts | 16.5% | – |
| 65 years and over | 12.1% ±3.8 pts | 19.7% | – |
| Male | 80.6% ±4.8 pts | 56.6% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 6.6% ±2.8 pts | 2.7% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 61.4% ±6.9 pts | 88.5% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 20.2% ±5.4 pts | 4.3% | −7.8 pts |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.7 pts | 0.0% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.8% ±1.0 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 1.0% ±1.5 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 10.0% ±6.7 pts | 4.1% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.7 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 4.8% ±2.8 pts | 1.9% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 6.2% ±2.8 pts | 3.7% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 9.5% ±3.9 pts | 6.9% | – |
| With a disability | 27.4% ±8.9 pts | 19.5% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 7.9% ±6.0 pts | 11.4% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 80.5% ±6.7 pts | 84.0% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 4.6% ±2.4 pts | 13.8% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 1.7% ±1.5 pts | 4.8% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 94.7% ±3.9 pts | 91.9% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.0% ±1.7 pts | 1.9% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Clifton earn?
Half of Clifton's 442 households earn less than $43,571 a year (±$17,953), against $52,294 in Wayne County and $69,595 in Tennessee. In 2015-2019 it was $49,228 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 39.5% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Clifton | Wayne County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $43,571 ±$17,953 | $52,294 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $55,318 ±$9,936 | $67,516 | – |
| Per capita income | $12,273 ±$3,257 | $27,272 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 39.5% ±13.3 pts | 20.0% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 54.1% ±22.3 pts | 20.6% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 20.6% ±12.2 pts | 17.0% | – |
| Households with a computer | 99.5% ±1.1 pts | 89.3% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 92.8% ±5.4 pts | 84.2% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Clifton?
Owners occupy 67.2% of Clifton's occupied homes and renters 32.8%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $122,100 by its owner (±$35,557). The median renter pays $681 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Clifton | Wayne County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $122,100 ±$35,557 | $130,700 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $681 ±$27 | $619 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 27.4% ±21.8 pts | 43.8% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,118 ±$53 | $1,032 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 67.2% ±14.7 pts | 80.2% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 32.8% ±14.7 pts | 19.8% | – |
| Housing units | 549 ±147 | 7,211 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 2.0% ±3.0 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±25.3 pts | 6.9% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 88.7% ±6.5 pts | 69.4% | – |
| Mobile homes | 8.7% ±5.7 pts | 25.3% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±7.9 pts | 1.8% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 7.7% ±5.1 pts | 5.9% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 18.2% ±12.1 pts | 6.0% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 2.3% ±3.2 pts | 8.2% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Clifton building?
Builders took permits for 0 new housing units in Clifton in 2025 (0 in single-family houses), 0.0 per 1,000 residents against 5.9 across Tennessee.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Clifton work and get to work?
90.8% of Clifton's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 23.7 minutes.
| Measure | Clifton | Wayne County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 18.5% ±5.6 pts | 47.0% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 3.1% ±3.1 pts | 3.4% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 90.8% ±7.1 pts | 82.7% | – |
| Carpooled | 2.4% ±3.6 pts | 6.0% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±10.1 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Walked | 0.0% ±10.1 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Worked from home | 5.5% ±5.5 pts | 10.2% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 23.7 min ±4.2 | 31.3 min | −21.9 min |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Clifton?
No census tract lies mostly in Clifton; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9501Wayne County | 4,469 | $50,638 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Clifton) · Census block assignment files
How does Clifton compare with other places in Tennessee?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Clifton is the 7,120th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 155th-most populous of 345 in Tennessee.
Clifton ranks 242nd of 287 places in Tennessee with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 155th | 345 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 229th | 230 |
| Residents per square mile | 199th | 289 |
| Median household income | 242nd | 287 |
| Per capita income | 287th | 289 |
| Median home value | 267th | 285 |
| Median gross rent | 237th | 265 |
| Poverty rate | 3rd | 239 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 275th | 276 |
| Median age | 84th | 289 |
| Owner-occupied share | 145th | 289 |
| Travel time to work | 194th | 288 |
Clifton's figures with every place in Tennessee (CSV)
Every place in Tennessee, sortable · Compare Clifton with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Clifton?
20 of the 57 figures for Clifton on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Clifton are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Clifton.