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Living in
Cliffside Park.
About
Life in Cliffside Park
This is a genuine urban neighborhood, not a suburb—you'll be living in a dense, walkable community of about 25,600 people squeezed into less than a square mile on top of the Hudson Palisades. The median household income of around $93,000 and median home value of $588,200 reflect a solidly middle to upper-middle-class area, though housing costs are substantial, and median rent tops $1,700 monthly. You'll find a genuinely diverse community with white, Latino, and Asian residents living alongside each other, plus notably high concentrations of Armenian and Turkish American families.
Cliffside Park at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
41.3 yrs
Poverty Rate
10.8%
Foreign-Born
46.6%
Broadband Internet
93.1%
of households
Population Growth
+3.2%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics46.6% foreign-born, most often from Korea
Who lives in Cliffside Park: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Cliffside Park, the largest foreign-born group is from Korea (7.5%), and 27.8% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
19.0%
of residents
65 and Older
21.5%
of residents
Households with Kids
23.1%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
32.3%
of households
Married Couples
44.5%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.43
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 7% above NJ average
Rent, home values, and income in Cliffside Park
In Cliffside Park, rent runs 7% above the NJ average, and home values are 29% above the NJ average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
48.7%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
22.5%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
112.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Homeowners
51.4%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1970
median year built
Vacant Homes
5.1%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $624,825 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 1 pts below NJ average
Unemployment in Cliffside Park
Unemployment in Cliffside Park is 1 percentage points lower than the NJ average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Cliffside Park Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute35.5 min avg
How Cliffside Park residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Cliffside Park, most residents drive alone to work (42%), and 39% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 7 mi
LaGuardia Airport (LGA)
Major hub16.3M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 75% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Cliffside Park runs 75% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
83.7
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
635.3
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Cliffside Park Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 5 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
97.8 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Bergen County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Bergen County, which includes Cliffside Park, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 5 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 5 | Winter Weather | None reported |
| 2024 | 17 | Thunderstorm Wind | $75,000 |
| 2023 | 10 | Flash Flood | $12,500 |
| 2022 | 21 | Thunderstorm Wind | $52,000 |
| 2021 | 25 | Thunderstorm Wind | $105,500 |
| 2020 | 20 | Thunderstorm Wind | $548,000 |
| 2019 | 30 | Thunderstorm Wind | $340,000 |
| 2018 | 36 | Flash Flood | $529,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Bergen County, county-wide
Cliffside Park is about 3% of Bergen County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality40 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Bergen County, which includes Cliffside Park, is typically good — 258 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
40
Good Days
258
per year
Moderate Days
101
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Bergen County, county-wide
Cliffside Park is about 3% of Bergen County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate83°F summers, 30°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Cliffside Park has warm summers (avg high 83°F) and cold winters (avg low 30°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
61°/45°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
83°/68°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
65°/52°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
42°/30°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
50.3"
Annual Snowfall
29.8"
Hot Days/Year
17
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
67
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
125
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 40°F | 28°F | 3.64" |
| Feb | 42°F | 30°F | 3.19" |
| Mar | 50°F | 36°F | 4.29" |
| Apr | 62°F | 46°F | 4.09" |
| May | 71°F | 55°F | 3.96" |
| Jun | 80°F | 64°F | 4.54" |
| Jul | 85°F | 70°F | 4.60" |
| Aug | 83°F | 69°F | 4.56" |
| Sep | 76°F | 62°F | 4.31" |
| Oct | 65°F | 51°F | 4.38" |
| Nov | 54°F | 42°F | 3.58" |
| Dec | 44°F | 34°F | 4.38" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Cliffside Park
Uninsured
7.7%
of residents
No hospitals inside Cliffside Park's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Palisades Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 2 mi away · North Bergen
Harlem Hospital Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 2.5 mi away · New York
New York State Psychiatric Institute
Psychiatric · 2.7 mi away · New York
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education12.5:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Cliffside Park
Cliffside Park's student/teacher ratio is 12.5:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 42.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
5
within city limits
Private Schools
2
within city limits
College Degree Rate
42.0%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
12.5:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Cliffside Park (within 15 miles)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 28,663 students · in-state tuition $65,622 · 89% graduate · median earnings $90,957 (10 yrs after entry)
CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College
7.2 mi awayPublic · 2-year · 18,623 students · in-state tuition $5,170 · 33% graduate · median earnings $47,784 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 4-year · 16,289 students · in-state tuition $7,382 · 59% graduate · median earnings $70,502 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 4-year · 16,154 students · in-state tuition $7,462 · 72% graduate · median earnings $83,742 (10 yrs after entry)
CUNY New York City College of Technology
8.7 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 13,580 students · in-state tuition $7,332 · 32% graduate · median earnings $57,019 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 4-year · 12,550 students · in-state tuition $7,538 · 57% graduate · median earnings $68,324 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: General Grant National Memorial, 1 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Cliffside Park
Cliffside Park has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being General Grant National Memorial (1 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
General Grant National Memorial
National Memorial
1 mi awayHamilton Grange National Memorial
National Memorial
2 mi awayStonewall National Monument
National Monument
6 mi awayTheodore Roosevelt Birthplace National Historic Site
National Historic Site
6 mi awayAfrican Burial Ground National Monument
National Monument
7 mi awayLower East Side Tenement Museum National Historic Site
National Historic Site
7 mi awayCastle Clinton National Monument
National Monument
8 mi awayFederal Hall National Memorial
National Memorial
8 mi awayPublic Libraries in Cliffside Park
Cliffside Park Free Library
505 Palisade Avenue, Cliffside Park
Cities Near Cliffside Park
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Cliffside Park?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Cliffside Park FAQ
Is Cliffside Park, New Jersey affordable?⌄
Cliffside Park's median rent is $1,837/month, which is above the national average. The median household income is $93,452/year. Median home value is $588,200.
Is Cliffside Park, New Jersey safe?⌄
Cliffside Park's violent crime rate was 84 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 635 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Cliffside Park, New Jersey?⌄
Cliffside Park has an unemployment rate of 4.2%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Cliffside Park, New Jersey?⌄
The cost of living in Cliffside Park is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,837/month and median household income is $93,452/year. The median home value is $588,200. About 49% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Cliffside Park, New Jersey?⌄
The average commute in Cliffside Park is 36 minutes, which is longer than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from