South Plainfield receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
South Plainfield
Clifton
Opportunity
76 · Top 12%
vs72 · Top 18%
Growth
75 · Top 10%
vs39 · Bottom 30%
Climate
63 · Bottom 30%
vs71 · Top 47%
Physical resilience
46 · Bottom 36%
vs36 · Bottom 29%
Housing affordability
90 · Top 32%
vs74 · Bottom 40%
Schools
86 · Top 6%
vs54 · Top 46%
Access
96 · Top 33%
vs98 · Top 21%
Economic stability
81 · Top 6%
vs72 · Top 24%
Measured values
| Metric | South Plainfield | Clifton | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 24,473 | 89,379 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $130,239 | $98,237 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $51,315 | $47,587 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,950/sq mi | 7,927/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $470,900 | $461,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,107 | $1,711 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 85.9% | 59.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.0% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.6% | 1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 44.0% | 35.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 3.0% | 7.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 154 | 60 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 6.3 | 0.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 180.0% | 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 | 15 mi | 12 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 32.6 min | 30.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.7 | 41.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 17 | 27 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.89 | 11.90 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 47.1% | 21.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 65.0% | 39.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 21.9% | 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
South Plainfield
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, earthquake.
Clifton
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding, earthquake.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
South Plainfield
77
Your Score
73
Area Score
Clifton
64
Your Score
61
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: South Plainfield, NJ · Clifton, NJ · How this is calculated: methodology