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Clifton is a city in Passaic County, New Jersey, in the New York metropolitan area, set along the Passaic River with the cliffs of Garrett Mountain rising on its western edge. With roughly 90,000 residents, it is among the largest municipalities in Passaic County and one of the more populous in the state. The city takes its name from those Garrett Mountain cliffs, which border the Albion Place neighborhood. Clifton's roots reach back to the Lenape people and to Dutch and Swedish settlers who farmed the area along the Passaic River in the 18th century. Early settlement left a lasting mark on the city's place names: the Lakeview section recalls Wesel in Holland, and Weasel Brook, which runs through the Dutch-settled area near Weasel Brook Park, shares that heritage. The Albion Place section was earlier known as Postville or Beantown. Clifton was incorporated as a city in 1917 and marked its centennial in 2017. Today, Clifton is a dense, diverse residential city made up of more than a dozen named sections — including Allwood, Athenia, Richfield, Lakeview, Montclair Heights, and Rosemawr — each with its own character. The city's population reflects a long history of immigration, visible in the dining along Main Avenue and other commercial corridors, where Mediterranean, Turkish, Portuguese, and Latin American cuisines sit side by side. An Orthodox Jewish community in Rosemawr connects to a larger community in neighboring Passaic. Clifton functions as a commuter city, with frequent NJ Transit bus service to Midtown Manhattan and rail connections through Secaucus Junction. Families are drawn to the Clifton Public Schools, the neighborhood parks, and the outdoor recreation on the Watchung ridges. The city suits residents who want a genuine urban-suburban mix, with quick access to New York City and the broader northern New Jersey economy, without giving up neighborhood identity, diverse food, or the green space along Garrett Mountain.

Population 91,496

County Passaic County

Active Listings 266

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Frequently Asked Questions

What county is Clifton in?

Clifton is in Passaic County, New Jersey, in the New York metropolitan area. It sits along the Passaic River, with the cliffs of Garrett Mountain rising along its western edge. The city is among the largest municipalities in the county.

What school district serves Clifton?

Clifton Public Schools serve students from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. The district operates about 19 schools serving roughly 11,000 students, including Clifton High School and middle schools such as Christopher Columbus, Maple Valley, and Woodrow Wilson.

How do Clifton residents commute to New York City?

Clifton has frequent NJ Transit bus service to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan, with trips of roughly half an hour, plus rail connections to New York Penn Station via Secaucus Junction. Major highways include U.S. Route 46, the Garden State Parkway, and New Jersey Route 3.

What are Clifton's main neighborhoods?

Clifton is divided into more than a dozen named sections, including Allwood, Athenia, Richfield, Lakeview, Rosemawr, Montclair Heights, and Albion Place. Each section has its own housing stock, street layout, and commercial character.

What is Clifton known for?

Clifton is known for its name, drawn from the cliffs of Garrett Mountain, its diverse dining scene along Main Avenue, and the Olmsted Brothers-designed Weasel Brook Park. Its direct transit links to Manhattan make it a popular commuter base in northern New Jersey.

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