Clifton receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Clifton
Elizabeth
Opportunity
72 · Top 18%
vs45 · Bottom 27%
Growth
39 · Bottom 30%
vs66 · Top 22%
Climate
71 · Top 47%
vs71 · Top 48%
Physical resilience
36 · Bottom 29%
vs49 · Bottom 41%
Housing affordability
74 · Bottom 40%
vs46 · Bottom 8%
Schools
54 · Top 46%
vs27 · Bottom 19%
Access
98 · Top 21%
vs99 · Top 14%
Economic stability
72 · Top 24%
vs57 · Bottom 43%
Measured values
| Metric | Clifton | Elizabeth | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 89,379 | 137,302 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $98,237 | $66,555 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $47,587 | $28,969 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 7,927/sq mi | 11,146/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $461,900 | $449,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,711 | $1,523 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 59.6% | 25.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% | 5.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.6% | 0.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35.5% | 14.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.9% | 15.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 60 | 319 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.7 | 2.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 7.1% | 175.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 87°F | 87°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 26°F | 26°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 46.3" | 46.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 12 mi | 2 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.2 min | 28.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.6 | 35.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 27 | 37 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 11.90 | 13.39 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 21.1% | 8.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 39.5% | 29.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 51.1% | 83.0% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Clifton
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding, earthquake.
Elizabeth
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: Clifton, NJ · Elizabeth, NJ · How this is calculated: methodology