Middlesex and Clifton receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Middlesex
Clifton
Opportunity
66 · Top 29%
vs72 · Top 18%
Growth
40 · Bottom 32%
vs39 · Bottom 30%
Climate
63 · Bottom 30%
vs71 · Top 47%
Physical resilience
46 · Bottom 36%
vs36 · Bottom 29%
Housing affordability
86 · Top 41%
vs74 · Bottom 40%
Schools
56 · Top 44%
vs54 · Top 46%
Access
93 · Top 45%
vs98 · Top 21%
Economic stability
68 · Top 35%
vs72 · Top 24%
Measured values
| Metric | Middlesex | Clifton | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 14,645 | 89,379 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $105,000 | $98,237 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $51,617 | $47,587 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,199/sq mi | 7,927/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $446,400 | $461,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,416 | $1,711 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 73.9% | 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 | 36.9% | 35.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.3% | 7.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 16 | 60 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.1 | 0.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -48.4% | 7.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 86°F | 87°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 21°F | 26°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 45.5" | 46.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 19 mi | 12 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.7 min | 30.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 44.3 | 41.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 27 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 11.39 | 11.90 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 18.1% | 21.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 44.1% | 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
Middlesex
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, earthquake.
Clifton
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding, earthquake.
Full profiles: Middlesex, NJ · Clifton, NJ · How this is calculated: methodology