The Town Files

Clifton, New York

Town in St. Lawrence County · population 675 (2020 Census)

Map: where Clifton is in New YorkClifton
Median home
$111,200
Household income
$47,228
Jan low / Jul high
5° / 79°
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
0
Median age
46.9

Clifton is a town of 675 people in St. Lawrence County, New York. The median home is worth $111,200, below the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks better for a vacation home than 78% of New York towns, quieter than 73% of New York towns.

How Clifton ranks

Percentile among New York 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 York towns.

Clifton lifestyle rankings vs other New York townsRetirement66th pctFamilies39th pctQuiet73rd pctWalkability1st pctFirst-time buyers69th pctYoung professionals10th pctVibrancy1st pctHip & trendy62nd pctCollege town51st pctUpscale15th pctVacation homes78th pctSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransitbottomDriving16th pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Clifton is worth $111,200, below the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 2.4 times the median household income of $47,228, which is more affordable than 67% of New York towns. Median rent is $806 a month. 77.7% of households own their home.

Clifton vs St. Lawrence County vs typical New York townCliftonSt. Lawrence CountyTypical New York townHome value$111,200$121,900$217,700Household income$47,228$62,850$80,740Monthly rent$806$818$1,080
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of New York towns with 500+ people.
HousingCliftonTypical New York town
Median home value$111,200$217,700
Median rent$806$1,080
Median household income$47,228$80,740
Home value ÷ income2.4×2.8×
Homeownership77.7%79.5%
Median year built19601965
Seasonal / vacation homes50.2%—

Who lives in Clifton

PeopleCliftonTypical New York town
Median age46.943.5
Age 65 and over22.5%20.4%
Under 1821.4%—
Bachelor's degree or higher16.1%30.4%
Below the poverty line14.4%9.3%
Veterans4.8%—
Born outside the U.S.0.7%—
Work from home9.9%11.1%
Average commute33.6 min26.0 min
Homes with broadband90.5%91.1%

Weather in Clifton

July highs average 79.3°F and January lows 4.6°F. About 43.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year. Expect about 2 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 182 nights at or below freezing.

Clifton monthly temperatures and precipitation0°10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°32° freezing29°5°Jan31°5°Feb40°13°Mar54°30°Apr67°41°May76°50°Jun79°55°Jul78°54°Aug71°46°Sep57°36°Oct45°25°Nov34°14°DecPrecipitation (in)3.02.52.83.23.74.24.73.74.34.53.63.0
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Wanakena Rngr School station (3.7 mi away).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Clifton since 1950.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 4 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on September 20, 2005.

Severe weather in St. Lawrence County since 1996

Storm events in St. Lawrence County since 1996 by typeHail69Heat21Flood18High Wind61Heavy Snow21Strong Wind68Winter Storm238Winter Weather332
NOAA Storm Events Database, St. Lawrence County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 2 deaths recorded.

St. Lawrence County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
September 24, 2024Tropical StormDR-4825: Remnants Of Tropical Storm Debby
August 29, 2024FloodDR-4814: Severe Storm, Tornadoes, And Flooding
March 15, 2023SnowstormDR-4694: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm
November 20, 2022Winter StormEM-3589: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm
March 20, 2020BiologicalDR-4480: Covid-19 Pandemic

Jobs and pay in St. Lawrence County

St. Lawrence County had 34,764 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $62,502 a year. Unemployment was 4.4% in 2023; in Clifton itself the ACS puts it at 7.8%.

Largest industries in St. Lawrence CountyHealth care & social assistan…5,356 jobs · $66,847Retail4,457 jobs · $35,104Hotels & restaurants2,629 jobs · $23,508Manufacturing2,347 jobs · $80,029Education2,019 jobs · $60,212Construction1,400 jobs · $70,832
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in St. Lawrence County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%10%12%2000200420082012201620202023St. Lawrence 4.4%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Towns near Clifton

Clifton questions

Is Clifton, New York a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Clifton scores better for retirees than 66% of New York towns and quieter than 73%. 22.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 46.9).

How much does a house cost in Clifton?

The median owner-occupied home in Clifton is valued at $111,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $47,228, so homes cost about 2.4 times income. Median rent is $806 a month.

What is the weather like in Clifton?

July highs average 79.3°F and January lows 4.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 43.1 inches of precipitation a year.

Does Clifton get tornadoes?

No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Clifton in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Clifton's Census boundary (GEOID 3608916287). Comparisons use the median of New York towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-13.