Photo: Famartin · CC BY-SA 4.0Within New Jersey, Clifton is healthier than 28% of graded towns
Clifton trails New Jersey on 4 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Clifton. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Clifton
New Jersey sets a high bar
Clifton is healthier than 71% of U.S. towns, but only 28% of the 468 New Jersey towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Clifton
1 in 5 adults worry about having enough food (18.5%), vs 14.3% across New Jersey. Housing insecurity (15.2% vs 12.3%) is higher too. Everyday needs ↓
Many Clifton adults are uninsured, but health holds up
1 in 6 working-age adults has no health insurance (16%, vs 11.3% across New Jersey). Yet the share who say their health is fair or poor, 19.2%, is about level with the state’s 17.1%. Fewer get a yearly checkup: 74.8% vs 78%. Checkups ↓
Health varies a lot right around Clifton
Grades next door run from Montclair Township (A+) to Paterson (D). Clifton is a B+. Around town ↓
Written from the CDC, Medicare and HRSA data on this page. CDC PLACES 2025 release: modeled estimates for adults, not counts; “higher” and “lower” mean the New Jersey figure falls outside Clifton’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A.
What’s behind Clifton’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Clifton is healthier than 71% of U.S. towns, #339 of 468 in New Jersey. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 88% of U.S. towns); no exercise pulls it down (better than 35%).
Health estimates follow income closely across the country: towns with higher household incomes usually score higher (a correlation of 0.77 across 21,157 graded towns). Clifton’s median household income is $98,237; among the 8,835 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($74K–$123K), it’s healthier than 60%, about where its income would put it.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
9.5% of Clifton adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 8.4% across New Jersey.
Keeping up with care
Share of Clifton adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks New Jersey.
Clifton and the towns around it
Clifton’s Health Grade ranks 6th of 9 graded towns around it.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clifton | B+ | 28.4% | 11.1% | 10.7% | CDC place |
| Woodland Park | B+ | 27.8% | 11% | 10.6% | CDC place |
| Garfield | B− | 31.8% | 10.4% | 13.4% | CDC place |
| Montclair State University | — | — | — | — | |
| Passaic | C− | 35.9% | 15.2% | 16% | CDC place |
| Montclair Township | A+ | 23.3% | 7.7% | 7.2% | ZIP codes |
| Little Falls Township | A | 26.1% | 9.2% | 9.4% | ZIP 07424 |
| Paterson | D | 37.5% | 16.1% | 16.4% | CDC place |
Montclair State University: a Census-designated place inside a larger town, graded as part of it. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Out of every 100 Clifton adults…
On every condition, Clifton is about the same as New Jersey. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Clifton
No hospital or community health center in Clifton itself. These are the nearest.
Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Community health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. Distances are straight-line from the center of Clifton; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Everyday habits, side by side with New Jersey
Share of adults, with the New Jersey figure marked.
6.9 miles of trails across 37 parks and preserves
How Clifton adults are doing
About the same as New Jersey on each measure.
4 in 10 Clifton adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.
Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Clifton adults live with a disability (New Jersey 24.8%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Clifton
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Clifton is better than New Jersey on 0 and worse on 4; on the rest, the New Jersey figure falls inside Clifton’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Clifton | NJ | U.S. | vs NJ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 19.2%17.1–21.3 | 17.1% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13%11.6–14.5 | 12.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15%13.4–16.7 | 14.7% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 28.4%24.2–33.1 | 28.9% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.1%9.7–12.5 | 10.9% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 29.8%26.9–32.8 | 32.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.8%33.5–40.3 | 39.3% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 20.1%17.9–22.4 | 22.2% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 8.6%7.7–9.7 | 8.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.8%6.2–7.5 | 7.5% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.3%4.8–5.9 | 5.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 4.9%4.4–5.5 | 5.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 2.9%2.7–3.1 | 3.1% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 9.4%7.7–11.3 | 9.6% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10.7%9.3–12.2 | 10.9% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 27.7%24.5–31.2 | 24.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 16.3%13.9–19.1 | 15.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 35.5%31.3–39.8 | 37.5% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 16%14.3–18.1 | 11.3% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 74.8%71.7–77.9 | 78% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 64.9%61.8–67.8 | 65.9% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88.3%86.8–89.6 | 89.1% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76%73.2–78.7 | 77.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 59.9%55.5–64.1 | 63.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 77.3%71.2–82.7 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 15.2%13.1–17.6 | 15.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 36.2%32–40.3 | 32.4% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 25.1%22–28.3 | 24% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 18.5%16.3–20.7 | 14.3% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 15.2%13.4–17.1 | 12.3% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.8%6.8–8.8 | 7% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.3%7.4–9.3 | 7.4% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 9.5%8.2–10.9 | 8.4% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 26.7%23.8–29.9 | 24.8% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12%10.7–13.5 | 11.3% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12.8%11.4–14.3 | 11.5% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.5%4.9–6.2 | 5.7% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 5.3%4.8–5.7 | 4.7% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.8%6.1–7.5 | 6.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.5%3.2–3.8 | 3.3% | 3.8% | About the same |
Each figure is the share of adults 18+ unless the label says otherwise; small numbers after it are CDC’s likely range (95% interval). “About the same” means the New Jersey figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Clifton
Is Clifton a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Clifton is healthier than 71% of U.S. towns: B+ for health, #339 of 468 in New Jersey. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 60%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Clifton?
CDC estimates 28.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 24.2% and 33.1%, against 28.9% across New Jersey and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Clifton?
St. Mary's General Hospital in Passaic, 1.2 miles in a straight line from Clifton’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Clifton have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 16% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 14.3–18.1%), against 11.3% across New Jersey.
How accurate are these numbers?
They’re modeled estimates: CDC applies national survey answers to each area’s age, sex, race and education mix, so they describe who lives in Clifton more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Clifton.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The New Jersey figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. The Health Grade is our own summary of CDC’s estimates, not an official rating. Ages: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. This page isn’t medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.