The Town FilesClifton, New Jersey
City in Passaic County · population 90,296 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $461,900
- Household income
- $98,237
- Jan low / Jul high
- 26° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 28 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 10
- Median age
- 41.6
Clifton is a city of 90,296 people in Passaic County, New Jersey. The median home is worth $461,900, above the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). It ranks more vibrant than 93% of New Jersey towns, more walkable than 91% of New Jersey towns, better transit than 87% of New Jersey towns.
How Clifton ranks
Percentile among New Jersey towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of New Jersey towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Clifton is worth $461,900, above the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). Homes cost about 4.7 times the median household income of $98,237, which is more affordable than 23% of New Jersey towns. Median rent is $1,711 a month. 59.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Clifton | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $461,900 | $435,600 |
| Median rent | $1,711 | $1,774 |
| Median household income | $98,237 | $111,891 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.7× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 59.6% | 80.8% |
| Median year built | 1951 | 1969 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.4% | — |
Who lives in Clifton
| People | Clifton | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.6 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.5% | 18.3% |
| Under 18 | 19.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35.5% | 44.1% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.9% | 5.7% |
| Veterans | 3.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 35.1% | — |
| Work from home | 12.5% | 16.3% |
| Average commute | 28.3 min | 30.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.3% | 94.6% |
Weather in Clifton
July highs average 87.0°F and January lows 25.7°F. About 46.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 28.2 inches of snow (typical New Jersey town: 24.5 in). Expect about 29 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 89 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Clifton since 1950, compared with 9 for the typical New Jersey town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on August 7, 1962 about 6.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 21, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 37 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on July 6, 2020.
Severe weather in Passaic County since 1996
Passaic County has been included in 30 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 5, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4614: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| September 2, 2021 | Hurricane | EM-3573: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| March 25, 2020 | Biological | DR-4488: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3451: Covid-19 |
| June 8, 2018 | Severe Storm | DR-4368: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
Jobs and pay in Passaic County
Passaic County had 170,830 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $63,668 a year. Unemployment was 5.5% in 2023; in Clifton itself the ACS puts it at 7.1%.
Public schools in Clifton
20 public schools with 10,634 students, about 11.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clifton High School | 9-12 | 3,141 | 14.2 |
| Woodrow Wilson Middle School | 6-8 | 1,232 | 10.9 |
| Christopher Columbus Middle School | 6-8 | 1,146 | 10.0 |
| School #12 | PK-5 | 555 | 10.3 |
| School #17 | PK-5 | 502 | 10.2 |
| School #13 | K-5 | 461 | 12.5 |
| School #5 | K-5 | 417 | 11.3 |
| School #2 | K-5 | 400 | 11.8 |
| School #11 | PK-5 | 377 | 10.8 |
| School #14 | PK-5 | 375 | 10.1 |
| School #9 | PK-5 | 301 | 10.8 |
| Clifton Early Learner Academies - Brighton | PK-PK | 271 | 9.3 |
Towns near Clifton
- Passaic, NJ1.7 mi · 70,537 people · home $429,900
- Brookdale, NJ2.2 mi · 9,854 people · home $573,500
- Upper Montclair, NJ2.5 mi · 13,146 people · home $989,000
- Great Notch, NJ2.6 mi · 3,289 people · home $580,400
- Woodland Park, NJ2.6 mi · 13,484 people · home $497,600
- Nutley, NJ2.9 mi · 30,143 people · home $516,300
- Wallington, NJ2.9 mi · 11,868 people · home $528,300
- Garfield, NJ3.0 mi · 32,655 people · home $475,500
Clifton questions
Is Clifton, New Jersey a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Clifton scores better for retirees than 17% of New Jersey towns and quieter than 10%. 19.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.6).
How much does a house cost in Clifton?
The median owner-occupied home in Clifton is valued at $461,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $98,237, so homes cost about 4.7 times income. Median rent is $1,711 a month.
What is the weather like in Clifton?
July highs average 87.0°F and January lows 25.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 46.3 inches of precipitation a year and 28.2 inches of snow.
Does Clifton get tornadoes?
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Clifton since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on August 7, 1962. The typical New Jersey town has had 9.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)