States › New Jersey › Clifton

Is Clifton, NJ expensive to live in?

OKRent takes 24 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$2,12121% higher than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$105,949about $8,829/month · 22% higher than U.S. average
🔑 House price$461,90039% higher than U.S. average

Rent is higher than in 74% of U.S. cities. A typical house costs about 4.4 years of household income.

How much money do I need?

To rent here comfortably, you should earn about $84,840 a year. That is $41 an hour at a full-time job.

Is rent cheaper than other New Jersey cities?

Yes. Rent here is cheaper than in most of New Jersey. It is number 124 of 291 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

Clifton
$2,121
Trenton
$1,226
Toms River
$1,983
Bayonne
$2,444
Camden
$1,619
East Orange
$1,973
Passaic
$1,700

How much do households earn in Clifton?

Under $25k
11.8%
$25k–50k
16.4%
$50k–100k
30.1%
$100k–150k
19.9%
$150k+
18.0%

Share of households by yearly income. 37.9% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in Clifton

SizeCliftonU.S. average
Studio$1,534$1,338
1 bedroom$1,603$1,324
2 bedrooms$1,962$1,509
3 bedrooms$2,409$1,698
4 bedrooms$2,736$2,098

Median monthly rent plus utilities for all renters, by number of bedrooms.

How expensive is Clifton overall?

Everyday prices in New Jersey overall are 9% above the U.S. average (index 108.8, U.S. = 100).

Housing
134
Goods (food, clothes…)
107
Utilities
114
Other services
104
U.S. average
100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities 2024. City-level data is not published for Clifton, so the New Jersey figure is shown.

Taxes and bills in Clifton

🏛️ Property tax$10,000+a year · 2.17% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$168a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in Clifton

Commute to work28.3 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree35.5%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home59.6%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line7.9%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment7.1%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Clifton?

Renting is cheaper right now: about $1,084 a month less.

Renting
$2,121
Owning
$3,205

Owning assumes a typical $461,900 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $46,190 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Clifton, NJ?

Renting in Clifton costs a median of about $2,121 a month in 2026, including utilities. The New Jersey median is $2,240.

How much do I need to make to live in Clifton?

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $84,840 a year, or $41 an hour at a full-time job.

Is Clifton cheap or expensive?

Clifton is rated OK: rent takes 24.0% of the typical household income of $105,949. It ranks 124th cheapest of 291 New Jersey cities we track.

How much are property taxes in Clifton?

The median homeowner in Clifton pays $10,000+ a year in property taxes, about 2.17% of the median home value.

Is Clifton more expensive than the national average?

Overall prices in New Jersey are 9% above the U.S. average, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

How much does a house cost in Clifton?

The median home value in Clifton is $461,900, about 4.4 times the typical yearly household income.

89,379 people live in Clifton. Numbers are typical (middle) values.