Clifton, NJ Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Clifton, NJ Summary

Cost of living in Clifton research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Clifton is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in New Jersey, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Clifton is 127, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Clifton is 1.3x higher than the national average.

  • Clifton ranks as the #121 cheapest in New Jersey out of 260.

  • Clifton ranks as the #4,833 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Clifton is $598,340.

  • The median income in Clifton is $99,003.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
127
Clifton's Overall Cost Of Living
1.3x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Clifton, NJ?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Clifton has an overall cost of living index of 127, which is 1.3x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to New Jersey, Clifton has a cost of living index that's 1.0x higher than New Jersey's index of 122.

The standard of living in Clifton ranks as #121 most affordable out of the 260 places we measured in New Jersey. By definition, that implies Clifton ranks as the #139 most expensive place in the Garden State.

For more reading on life in Clifton, check out:

121 out of 260
In New Jersey
4,833 out of 6,489
In America

Clifton Cost Of Living Vs. New Jersey

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Clifton. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Clifton is 107.

  • The Groceries index in Clifton is 104.

  • The Health index in Clifton is 97.

  • The Housing index in Clifton is 180.

  • The Transportation index in Clifton is 107.

  • The Utilities index in Clifton is 112.

Living Expense Clifton New Jersey National Average
Overall 127 122 100
Services 107 108 100
Groceries 104 104 100
Health 97 99 100
Housing 180 159 100
Transportation 107 101 100
Utilities 112 107 100
For more reading on cost of living around New Jersey, check out:
Clifton Cost of Living Vs. NJ

Clifton, NJ Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in New Jersey, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Clifton is $598,340.

  • The Median Rent in Clifton is $1,658.

  • The Median Income in Clifton is $99,003.

  • The Home Value To Income in Clifton is 6.0x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Clifton is 0.2x.

Statistic Clifton New Jersey United States
Median Home Value $598,340 $564,432 $303,400
Median Rent $1,658 $1,653 $1,348
Median Income $99,003 $101,050 $78,538
Home Value To Income 6.0x 5.6x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.2x 0.2x 0.21x
$598,340
Median Home Value
$1,658
Median Rent
$99,003
Median Income

Clifton, NJ Costs By Category

Detailed Clifton Services Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item Clifton New Jersey
Shampoo $1.48 $1.28
Movie $15.78 $12.13
Bowling $21.0 $18
Haircut $25.62 $24.26
Beauty Salon $41.67 $45.56

Detailed Clifton Groceries Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item Clifton New Jersey
Ground Beef $5.65 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.39 $1.57
Milk $4.71 $4.67
Potatoes $5.37 $4.93
Pizza $11.49 $12.09
Beer $11.33 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.72 $3.7

Detailed Clifton Health Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item Clifton New Jersey
Optometrist $157.11 $125.68
Doctor $115.59 $135.78
Dentist $124.27 $113.29

Detailed Clifton Transportation Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item Clifton New Jersey
Gasoline $3.41 $3.46
Tire Balancing $82.67 $59.92

Detailed Clifton Utilities Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item Clifton New Jersey
All Electricity $236.04 $193.99
Phone $186.61 $192.25

Clifton SnackAbility

8.5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8/10
Housing
9
Affordability
5
Diversity
9.5
Safety
8
Amenities
10
Education
8
Commute
6

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Clifton

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Clifton. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Paterson, NJ has a cost of living index of 114, 0.9x Clifton.

  • Passaic, NJ has a cost of living index of 126, 1.0x Clifton.

  • Garfield, NJ has a cost of living index of 130, 1.0x Clifton.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Clifton
Paterson, NJ 157,660 114 0.9x
Passaic, NJ 69,651 126 1.0x
Garfield, NJ 32,502 130 1.0x
Elmwood Park, NJ 21,287 135 1.1x
Eastchester, NY 20,519 167 1.3x
Rutherford, NJ 18,748 144 1.1x
Woodland Park, NJ 13,284 132 1.0x
Upper Montclair, NJ 12,279 180 1.4x
Wallington, NJ 11,825 133 1.0x
Dobbs Ferry, NY 11,397 173 1.4x

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