Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Califon’s best subject grades are an A for health, incomes, and civic life; its weakest is a C− for cost of living. Of the 469 New Jersey towns we compare, none has a lower share of working residents who work in town than Califon. On civic life, just 13 of New Jersey’s 527 towns do better. Califon has 2 places on the National Register. Califon has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where Califon beats most towns.
Califon Historic DistrictIn a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within New Jersey), ordered by how far Califon is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 513 in 1920, 1,005 in 2020. The archive holds 8 old photos and papers going back to 2005 and 5 maps from 1890 on.
2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Califon. Close and well known come first.
36 mi Stadium & arenaSports Illustrated Stadium
35 mi Stadium & arenaPrudential Center
22 mi GardenDrew University
15 mi LakeLake Musconetcong
24 mi Stadium & arenaSHI Stadium
39 mi LandmarkVanderbilt Family Cemetery and MausoleumSports Illustrated Stadium: Sam Szapucki, CC BY 2.0 · Prudential Center: Jim.henderson, Public domain · Drew University: CUBJONES83 (talk), Public domain · Lake Musconetcong: Zeete, CC BY-SA 4.0 · SHI Stadium: Zeete, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Vanderbilt Family Cemetery and Mausoleum: Vanderbilt_Mausoleum.jpg: Staten Island post cards / Bridges derivative work: Jb, Public domain
Who provides power, water and the rest in Califon, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Califon.
Califon beats the New Jersey average on 13 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 2. 18% of Califon adults get no exercise outside work, against 22% in New Jersey’s towns and 25% across U.S. towns. 27% of adults have obesity in Califon.
| Califon | New Jersey towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 22% | 25% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 16% | 23% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 28% | 35% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 9.1% | 11% | 14% |
| What stands out | Califon | NJ |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 5.5% | 11.3% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 7.2% | 14.3% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 9.6% | 7.5% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Its public schools are run by the Califon Borough School District. Its one school is below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Califon Public SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–8 | Grades PK–8 | 94 | A |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within NJ on state tests and graduation
Most working residents leave Califon for work: only 0% work in town. At $128,000, Califon’s median household income is above both New Jersey’s towns ($113,000) and U.S. towns ($80,000). Jobs based in Califon fell to 128 in 2023, 115 fewer than in 2013.
| Califon | New Jersey towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $128,000 | $113,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 31 minutes | 30 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 7.5% | 6.1% | 9.6% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
The typical Califon home is worth about $746,000, up 4.3% in a year, 30% above the New Jersey typical home. The median rent in Califon is $1,781 a month.
| Califon | New Jersey towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 84% | 77% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,781 a month | $1,778 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Califon has chilly winters and pleasant summers, with plenty of rain. Califon’s July high is 83°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Among 379 New Jersey towns, just 4 have a lower property crime rate than Califon. Califon's reported crime rate is well below New Jersey's. Violent crime is rare: 1 reported in 2023.
| Califon | New Jersey towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2023) | 1 per 1,000 residents | 10.4 | 13.1 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2023) | 1 per 1,000 residents | 0.7 | 1.8 |
FBI crime data, 2023 · crimes reported to police
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 53% of U.S. communities. Since 1979, 34 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Califon.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
3 within 15 miles of the center of Califon
About 4 of every 100 Califon residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across New Jersey.
Where Califon’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
2 places in Califon on the National Register of Historic Places.
3 notable people were born in Califon.
Borough in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, US
Califon is a borough in Hunterdon County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 1,005, a decrease of 71 (−6.6%) from the 2010 census count of 1,076, which in turn reflected an increase of 21 (+2.0%) from the 1,055 counted in the 2000 census. The borough's name is said to have been inspired by the California gold rush of 1849. The name was shortened to Califon, supposedly because the longer name could not be fit on signs at the train station.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Yes. That is 7.5 years of the area's median household income ($99,155 across the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro area).
3 notable people were born here, including Michele Mary Smith and Teddy Schneider.
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