Smart Movers Club

    Moving to Clifton, NJ

    Is Clifton a good place to live?

    Watch Clifton

    Clifton ranks #19 of 42 New Jersey cities with 25,000+ people on the Smart Movers livability score (49/100), which weighs home affordability, unemployment, education and population growth. Population fell 0.2% in the latest Census year.

    Median home value
    $444,300
    +3.8% vs prior year
    Median rent
    $1,658
    per month
    Household income
    $99,003
    median
    Unemployment
    7.0%
    lower is better

    Cost of living in Clifton

    The median home value in Clifton is $444,300 and median rent is $1,658 a month, against a median household income of $99,003. Homes cost about 4.5× a year of income (under 3× is considered affordable).

    Clifton crime rate

    City-level FBI figures vary by agency; across New Jersey the 2025 rate was 199 violent and 1,268 property crimes per 100,000 people — #39 highest of 50 states. The full report breaks down local trends.

    Moving to Clifton, NJ

    Clifton has about 89,247 residents, 7.0% unemployment and 24% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher.

    Compare Clifton with

    Clifton vs NewarkClifton vs Jersey CityClifton vs PatersonClifton vs ElizabethClifton vs Toms RiverClifton vs TrentonClifton vs CamdenClifton vs Bayonne

    More: Where to move in New Jersey · Best counties in New Jersey

    Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimates (2023, compared with 2022); FBI Crime Data Explorer.

    Home listings, local news, migration, schools, resources and the Smart Movers Grade & Verdict.

    See the full Smart Movers Club report