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
Passaic
Opportunity
72 · Top 18%
vs49 · Bottom 35%
Growth
39 · Bottom 30%
vs51 · Top 48%
Climate
71 · Top 47%
vs71 · Top 47%
Physical resilience
36 · Bottom 29%
vs36 · Bottom 28%
Housing affordability
74 · Bottom 40%
vs31 · Bottom 1%
Schools
54 · Top 46%
vs25 · Bottom 17%
Access
98 · Top 21%
vs98 · Top 20%
Economic stability
72 · Top 24%
vs52 · Bottom 35%
Measured values
| Metric | Clifton | Passaic | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 89,379 | 70,002 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $98,237 | $55,371 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $47,587 | $24,489 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 7,927/sq mi | 22,343/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $461,900 | $429,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,711 | $1,465 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 59.6% | 23.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% | 4.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.6% | 1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35.5% | 16.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.9% | 22.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 60 | 93 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.7 | 1.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 7.1% | 40.9% | 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" | 46.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 12 mi | 12 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.2 min | 27.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.6 | 31.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 27 | 18 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 11.90 | 12.22 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 21.1% | 6.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 39.5% | 28.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 51.1% | 99.2% | 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.
Passaic
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding, earthquake.
Full profiles: Clifton, NJ · Passaic, NJ · How this is calculated: methodology