Metuchen receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Metuchen
Clifton
Opportunity
71 · Top 20%
vs72 · Top 18%
Growth
35 · Bottom 24%
vs39 · Bottom 30%
Climate
71 · Top 48%
vs71 · Top 47%
Physical resilience
46 · Bottom 36%
vs36 · Bottom 29%
Housing affordability
91 · Top 30%
vs74 · Bottom 40%
Schools
79 · Top 14%
vs54 · Top 46%
Access
96 · Top 32%
vs98 · Top 21%
Economic stability
83 · Top 4%
vs72 · Top 24%
Measured values
| Metric | Metuchen | Clifton | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 15,144 | 89,379 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $158,052 | $98,237 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $71,224 | $47,587 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 5,338/sq mi | 7,927/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $604,300 | $461,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,078 | $1,711 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 74.6% | 59.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.5% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.6% | 1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 67.1% | 35.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 3.6% | 7.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 8 | 60 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.5 | 0.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -97.2% | 7.1% | 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 | 46.6" | 46.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 15 mi | 12 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 40.3 min | 30.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.1 | 41.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 5 | 27 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.20 | 11.90 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 40.0% | 21.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 56.7% | 39.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 15.2% | 51.1% | 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
Metuchen
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, earthquake.
Clifton
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding, earthquake.
Full profiles: Metuchen, NJ · Clifton, NJ · How this is calculated: methodology