Ringwood receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Ringwood
Clifton
Opportunity
69 · Top 24%
vs72 · Top 18%
Growth
46 · Bottom 43%
vs39 · Bottom 30%
Climate
65 · Bottom 35%
vs71 · Top 47%
Physical resilience
36 · Bottom 28%
vs36 · Bottom 29%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 8%
vs74 · Bottom 40%
Schools
65 · Top 33%
vs54 · Top 46%
Access
86 · Bottom 32%
vs98 · Top 21%
Economic stability
87 · Top 1%
vs72 · Top 24%
Measured values
| Metric | Ringwood | Clifton | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 11,657 | 89,379 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $152,414 | $98,237 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $64,461 | $47,587 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 456/sq mi | 7,927/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $449,800 | $461,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,750 | $1,711 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 96.2% | 59.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.9% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.6% | 1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 52.5% | 35.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 2.5% | 7.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 20 | 60 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.7 | 0.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -13.0% | 7.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 85°F | 87°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 23°F | 26°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 44.9" | 46.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 29 mi | 12 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 34.8 min | 30.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 42.6 | 41.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 4 | 27 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 10.88 | 11.90 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 26.3% | 21.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 46.0% | 39.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 11.1% | 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
Ringwood
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding, earthquake.
Clifton
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding, earthquake.
Full profiles: Ringwood, NJ · Clifton, NJ · How this is calculated: methodology