Clifton vs Tacoma
The short version
- Overall prices are about the same in both metro areas (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $461,900 in Clifton and $479,600 in Tacoma.
- Households earn more in Clifton ($98,237 vs $85,884 median).
- Tacoma has the warmer winter: January highs of 48°F vs 40°F.
- Clifton gets far more snow: 30 inches a year vs 6.
- Tacoma is growing faster: +4.6% since 2020 vs +1.4%.
- Washington has no state income tax on wages; New Jersey's top rate is 10.75%.
Side by side
| Clifton, NJ | Tacoma, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 91,127 | 229,816 |
| Growth since 2020 | +1.4% | +4.6% |
| People per square mile | 8,082 | 4,622 |
| Median age | 41.6 | 37.2 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 36% | 35% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $98,237 | $85,884 |
| Median home value | $461,900 | $479,600 |
| Home value to income | 4.7× | 5.6× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,711 | $1,676 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 112.6 | 111.1 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 148.6 | 151.3 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $84,400 | $83,300 |
| Homeowners | 60% | 56% |
| Top state income tax | 10.75% | None |
| Combined sales tax | 6.6% | 9.57% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 28.3 | 28.8 |
| Work from home | 13% | 16% |
| Take public transit | 9% | 4% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 7.1% | 5.6% |
| Poverty rate | 7.9% | 12.4% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 40° / 28° | 48° / 38° |
| July high / low | 85° / 70° | 77° / 57° |
| Precipitation per year | 50 in | 39 in |
| Snowfall per year | 30 in | 6 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 17 | 4 |
| Nights below freezing | 67 | 25 |
| Comfortable months | 3 | 5 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively High | Relatively High |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 95.8 | 98.5 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 42% | 56% |
| Home prices, past year | +5.7% | +1.9% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +45.1% | +28.5% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Clifton: May and September to October. Tacoma: May to September.
Full monthly tables: Clifton weather by month and Tacoma weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $84,400 in Clifton and $83,300 in Tacoma. Moving from Clifton to Tacoma, you would need about $74,000 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
One vote per person. Results show after you vote.