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CITY

Clifton

New Jersey · 91,127 residents (2025 est.) · 11.3 sq mi
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Part of the New York metro area
The short version

With 89,379 people, Clifton is a city in New Jersey. The foreign-born share is 35%. Few US cities rank higher on income. Density works out to 7,927 people per square mile. 60% of homes are owner-occupied. The typical home is worth $461,900, having more than doubled since 2000.

At a glance
Wealthier
median household income $98,237, above the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 41.6
US median: 38.9
Average education
36% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 38%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place

What stands out about Clifton

What changed most since 1990

  • White share88.9% → 45.9% (−43.0 pts)US over the same years: −17.8 pts
  • Hispanic share6.5% → 39.4% (+32.9 pts)US over the same years: +9.9 pts
  • Median age39.0 → 41.6 (+2.6 years)US over the same years: +6.0 years

Among the 810 cities and towns in the New York metro

  • 620th in household income$98,237
  • 631st in share with a bachelor's degree35.5%
  • Tied for 592nd in home value$461,900
  • 132nd in diversity score78.1

Its weight in Passaic County

Clifton's population equals 17% of Passaic County's. Its number of residents living in poverty equals 10% of the county's. Its number of households without a car equals 14% of the county's.

Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
89,379
+14%since 2000
from 78,672 in 2000
91,127 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Population density
7,927 / sq mi
+14%since 2000
from 6,978 / sq mi in 2000
US average: 281
Median age
41.6
+7%since 2000
from 38.8 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
11.3 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
70K75K81K87K92K19902000201020202024Clifton
202489K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 56%(5,370)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 95.7%(5,061)
US avg: 6%
10 to 145.4%(4,792)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 194.3%(3,826)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 245%(4,465)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3414.5%(12,991)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4413.2%(11,835)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5411.5%(10,261)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6414.9%(13,315)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7411.4%(10,229)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 845.7%(5,139)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over2.3%(2,095)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$98,237
+7%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $50,619 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$47,587
+101%since 2000
from $23,638 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
60.5%
+21.4 ptssince 2009
from 39.1% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
7.9%
+1.6 ptssince 2000
from 6.3% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.454
+5%since 2010
from 0.430 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade12.3%
US avg: 9.9%
Information11.7%
US avg: 10.8%
Finance & insurance7.8%
US avg: 5.9%
Other services7.2%
US avg: 6.7%
Professional, scientific, technical7.1%
US avg: 5.1%
Wholesale trade6.2%
US avg: 6.9%
Public administration4.3%
US avg: 4.8%
Transportation & warehousing3.2%
US avg: 2.2%
Arts, entertainment, food1.6%
US avg: 1.9%
Education & health services0.7%
US avg: 0.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.2%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction0.2%
US avg: 1.2%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$461,900
+38%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $183,600 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,711
+20%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $784 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
59.6%
−1.3 ptssince 2000
from 60.9% in 2000
40.4% rent
Vacancy rate
2.9%
−3.3 ptssince 2009
from 6.2% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
2.65 people
−1%since 2009
from 2.67 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
32.5%
−15.6 ptssince 2009
from 48.1% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
55.0%
+6.6 ptssince 2009
from 48.4% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
4.7
−24%since 2009
from 6.2 in 2009
1990 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
40
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic67.6%(53,206)
Black2.5%(2,002)
Hispanic / Latino19.8%(15,608)
Asian6.4%(5,028)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic45.9%(41,053)
Black3.5%(3,125)
Hispanic / Latino39.4%(35,175)
Asian8.3%(7,412)
Other2.9%(2,614)
Diversity Score
78
+7%since 2009
from 73 in 2009
1990 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
South American13.3%(11,867)
Dominican9.6%(8,607)
Puerto Rican6.5%(5,841)
Mexican5.2%(4,675)
Colombian5.1%(4,526)
Peruvian3.8%(3,386)
Ecuadorian2.4%(2,184)
Central American1.7%(1,478)
Cuban1.6%(1,473)
Bolivian0.9%(802)
Salvadoran0.9%(788)
Chilean0.4%(369)
+ 9 more hispanic origin groups with data
Argentine0.4%(341)
Spaniard0.3%(261)
Honduran0.3%(251)
Venezuelan0.2%(207)
Costa Rican0.2%(148)
Guatemalan0.2%(147)
Nicaraguan0.1%(72)
Panamanian0.1%(66)
Uruguayan0.1%(52)
Asian origin
Asian Indian4.5%(4,030)
Filipino2.4%(2,170)
Chinese0.6%(505)
Korean0.4%(370)
Pakistani0.1%(127)
Bangladeshi0.1%(85)
Japanese0.1%(48)
Thai0.1%(45)
Hmong0%(13)
Pacific Islander origin
Chamorro0.1%(45)
Ancestry
Italian9.8%(8,795)
Polish8.7%(7,760)
Arab5.1%(4,596)
Irish4.8%(4,276)
German3.9%(3,527)
American3.2%(2,851)
English1.6%(1,388)
Turkish1.5%(1,323)
Palestinian1.5%(1,315)
Ukrainian1.2%(1,059)
Egyptian1.1%(993)
Hungarian1.1%(951)
+ 43 more ancestry groups with data
Russian1%(907)
Portuguese0.8%(701)
West Indian0.8%(692)
Dutch0.6%(555)
Syrian0.5%(483)
Slovak0.5%(471)
Greek0.5%(450)
Scottish0.5%(438)
Jamaican0.5%(431)
Jordanian0.5%(421)
Moroccan0.5%(420)
Austrian0.4%(365)
Swedish0.4%(355)
Lebanese0.4%(350)
Brazilian0.4%(328)
French0.4%(318)
Serbian0.3%(272)
Israeli0.3%(232)
Romanian0.2%(179)
Czech0.2%(178)
Nigerian0.2%(160)
Swiss0.2%(139)
Armenian0.1%(126)
British0.1%(105)
Finnish0.1%(102)
Scotch-Irish0.1%(97)
Haitian0.1%(90)
Norwegian0.1%(80)
Iranian0.1%(76)
Guyanese0.1%(61)
Belgian0.1%(45)
Croatian0.1%(45)
Danish0%(40)
Bulgarian0%(21)
Latvian0%(19)
Canadian0%(11)
Welsh0%(10)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
35.5%
+11.9 ptssince 2000
from 23.6% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
89.6%
+11.0 ptssince 2000
from 78.6% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
11.7%
+4.1 ptssince 2000
from 7.6% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
28.3 min
+73%since 2000
from 16.4 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
66.5%
−8.0 ptssince 2009
from 74.5% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
8.3%
−0.9 ptssince 2009
from 9.2% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
9.0%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 8.8% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
12.5%
+10.7 ptssince 2009
from 1.7% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
1.9%
−0.8 ptssince 2009
from 2.7% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.1%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.1% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
10.0%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 10.3% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
7.1%
−0.8 ptssince 2011
from 7.9% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
68.0%
+0.8 ptssince 2011
from 67.2% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
78.7%
+0.8 ptssince 2020
from 77.9% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
11.2%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 11.3% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
42.0%
+8.5 ptssince 2009
from 33.5% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
49.3%
+0.8 ptssince 2009
from 48.5% in 2009
Female
50.7%
−0.8 ptssince 2009
from 51.5% in 2009
Foreign born
35.1%
+2.4 ptssince 2009
from 32.7% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
3.4%
−2.2 ptssince 2009
from 5.6% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
12.0%
+2.2 ptssince 2012
from 9.8% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
6.8%
−10.5 ptssince 2013
from 17.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
91.3%
+11.7 ptssince 2017
from 79.6% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
94.4%
+3.9 ptssince 2020
from 90.5% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
91.4%
+1.1 ptssince 2020
from 90.3% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
43.7%
−1.6 ptssince 2016
from 45.2% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
32.5%
+1.6 ptssince 2016
from 30.9% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married37.3%(13,756)
Married52.6%(19,374)
Widowed2.4%(892)
Divorced7.6%(2,818)
Women 15+
Never married32%(11,931)
Married48%(17,894)
Widowed10.4%(3,866)
Divorced9.7%(3,625)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
6.8%
−10.5 ptssince 2013
from 17.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
58.2%
+0.6 ptssince 2020
from 57.6% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
13.9%
+2.0 ptssince 2020
from 11.9% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
19.9%
+1.5 ptssince 2020
from 18.4% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
18.4%
+0.1 ptssince 2020
from 18.3% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
1.1%
+0.2 ptssince 2020
from 0.9% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
69.8%
+3.3 ptssince 2020
from 66.5% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
34.2%
+0.9 ptssince 2020
from 33.3% in 2020
US average: 36.7%

Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.

Section 09 · Service history

Veterans

Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)23%(560)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)12.1%(296)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era40.7%(992)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War8.4%(205)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0%(0)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 2,439 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Over time

Clifton, decade by decade

Clifton population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
YearPopulationMedian household incomeMedian home valueBachelor's degree+Diversity score
199071,742$95,775$444,01320.4%25.5
200078,672$92,210$334,45623.6%62.2
201084,136$89,581$531,98331.0%75.5
202090,296$100,703$429,91033.8%79.9
202489,379$98,237$461,90035.5%78.1

Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.

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Head to head

Compare Clifton to nearby cities

CLIFTON VS
Passaic
Income$55,371−44%
Home value$429,900−7%
Population71,337−22%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CLIFTON VS
Brookdale
Income$161,779+65%
Home value$573,500+24%
Population9,960−89%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CLIFTON VS
Upper Montclair
Income$250,000+
Home value$989,000+114%
Population12,457−86%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CLIFTON VS
Woodland Park
Income$98,845+1%
Home value$497,600+8%
Population13,623−85%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Clifton, New Jersey?

Clifton, New Jersey has about 89,379 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Clifton, New Jersey?

The typical household in Clifton, New Jersey earns about $98,237 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Clifton, New Jersey expensive?

In Clifton, New Jersey, the median home is worth about $461,900, and the typical rent is about $1,711 a month.

How educated are people in Clifton, New Jersey?

About 35.5% of adults age 25 and over in Clifton, New Jersey hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Clifton, New Jersey?

About 7.9% of people in Clifton, New Jersey live below the federal poverty line.

Has Clifton, New Jersey grown since 1990?

Yes, Clifton, New Jersey has grown since 1990. The population has added about 17,637 residents, a change of about 25 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →