Flickr - Nicholas T - Periphery, 2006
Clifton Township’s story
193 years in pictures
The archive holds 5 old photos and papers going back to 2006 and 2 maps from 1943 on.
- 1833Clifton Township is settled
Clifton TownshipPA
Population
1,522
2025 Census estimate · +2.6% since 2020
Median home value
$170K
Census ACS
Household income
$57K
median
Median age
52.1
years
Jobs based here
127
A commuter town
Is Clifton Township a good place to live?
Clifton Township’s best subject grades are an A for schools and an A− for the outdoors; its weakest is a C− for walkability. On hazard risk, just 104 of Pennsylvania’s 1,751 towns do better. Homes are expensive, about $170K for a typical one and 2.6 times the Scranton metro’s $65K median household income. Among 1,036 Pennsylvania towns, just 7 have a lower share of working residents who work in town than Clifton Township. 41% of the land in Clifton Township is conserved, above both the Pennsylvania town median (8.2%) and the median of U.S. towns (4.3%). State Game Lands Number 135, at 2,360 acres with 5.5 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve. Clifton Township has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Clifton Township stand out
Where Clifton Township beats most towns.
Get outside
16 miles of trails in Clifton Township
40.6% of the town is conserved land, across 4 parks and preserves.
2
Pinchot State Forest3.1 mi of trails · 1,622 acres
Trails © OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
How Clifton Township grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Pennsylvania), ordered by how far Clifton Township is from typical.
Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 27% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listA+Open →SchoolsBeat 86% of Pennsylvania districts on tests and graduationAOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 5.4 of 20; 2.8% of households have no car; 0.8% of workers walk, bike or ride transitC−Open →Jobs & incomeCOpen →Cost of livingCOpen →HealthGeisinger-Community Medical Center 12 miles awayB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 66 attractions →Lake Wallenpaupack and 27 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Clifton Township. Close and well known come first.
19 mi LakeLake Wallenpaupack
12 mi National Historic SiteSteamtown National Historic Site61K visitors a year
17 mi Ski areaCamelback Mountain Resort37 runs · 804 ft vertical
17 mi State parkHickory Run State Park
38 mi State parkRicketts Glen State Park
27 mi National park siteMiddle Delaware National Scenic River4.1M visitors a yearSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Lake Wallenpaupack: Doug Kerr from Albany, NY, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Steamtown National Historic Site: National Park Service, Public domain · Camelback Mountain Resort: Calzarette at en.wikipedia, Public domain · Hickory Run State Park: Mtruch, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Ricketts Glen State Park: en:User:Msitler, Public domain · Middle Delaware National Scenic River: Mike Serfas, Public domain
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Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Clifton Township: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Clifton Township, and how to reach them.
PowerPPL Electric Utilities18.6¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterPocono Mobile Manor MHPNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers96% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Clifton Township’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Pennsylvania you can register online until 15 days before Election Day, in person until 15 days before Election Day, or by mail (received 15 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereLackawanna County Board of ElectionsLackawanna County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP code1842418424 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Clifton Township.
OutdoorsA−
Nearly a third of Clifton Township is conserved land
16 miles of trail in 4 parks and preserves. At 0.8 miles per square mile, Clifton Township’s trail density is above both Pennsylvania’s towns (0.4) and U.S. towns (0.4).
40.6%conserved
40.6%
conserved · 5,119 of 12,611 acres
16 mi
of trails · 0.8 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. State Game Lands Number 135 | 5.5 mi | 2,360 |
| 2. Pinchot State Forest | 3.1 mi | 1,622 |
| 3. State Game Lands Number 312 | — | 75 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C
With 0.2 jobs for every working resident, most of Clifton Township’s workers commute out
Most working residents leave Clifton Township for work: only 1% work in town. Since 2013, Clifton Township has added 47 jobs, to 127 in 2023. The median household income in Clifton Township is $57,000.
1%work in town
| Clifton Township | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $57,000 | $81,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 13% | 7.6% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 23 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Clifton Township1%
Scranton13%
Covington Township9%
Dunmore5%
Moscow3%
15 mi
median commute distance
127
jobs based in Clifton Township
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
C−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 20% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A+
Inland flooding leads a low hazard risk in Clifton Township
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 73% of U.S. communities. Since 1985, 2 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Clifton Township.
27risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold waves
2
paid flood claims since 1985
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Clifton Township stands out in Pennsylvania and nationally: a typical July afternoon there is cooler
Clifton Township’s July high is 78°F. Clifton Township has chilly winters and pleasant summers, with plenty of rain.
78°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter18–34°
Spring34–54°
Summer55–76°
Fall39–58°
Oct 8
typical first frost
May 6
typical last frost
+1.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
78°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
HealthB−
Clifton Township is less healthy than 55% of U.S. towns
Clifton Township beats the Pennsylvania average on 3 of 26 CDC measures and trails it on 8. 18% of adults smoke cigarettes in Clifton Township.
45%healthier than U.S. townsB−Health Grade
| Clifton Township | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 17% | 14% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 38% | 36% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 11% | 12% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 14% | 14% |
26 measures vs. Pennsylvania
3 better15 too close to call8 worse
| What stands out | Clifton Township | PA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 11% | 14.5% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 82% | 79.2% |
| More adults with COPD | 9.2% | 7.7% |
Geisinger-Community Medical Center
12 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: dental
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Clifton Township
18pages on Clifton Township
The big questions
Out and about
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
6 within 15 miles of the center of Clifton Township
Yeshivath Beth MosheUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Scranton12 mi$10,600 tuitionUniversity of ScrantonUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Scranton12.7 mi$53,983 tuitionPennsylvania State University-Penn State ScrantonUniversity or college · Public · Dunmore14 mi$15,208 in-state tuition
About 3 of every 100 Clifton Township residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Pennsylvania.
A commuter town
99% of working residents leave Clifton Township for work
Where Clifton Township’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
127jobs based in Clifton Township
1%of working residents work in town
15 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Clifton Township
Township in Pennsylvania, US
Clifton Township is a township in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,494 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 20 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,765 ft
Clifton Township’s neighbors
7 towns share a border with Clifton Township.
Lehigh TownshipCoolbaugh TownshipThornhurst TownshipGouldsboroBig Bass LakeCovington TownshipSpring Brook TownshipClifton Township
How the neighbors grade
| Town | PA rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clifton Township | — | — | C | — | A | B− |
| Lehigh Township | — | — | C | — | A | C+ |
| Coolbaugh Township | #957 | C− | C | — | B− | C |
| Thornhurst Township | — | — | D | — | A | B− |
| Gouldsboro | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Big Bass Lake | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Covington Township | — | — | C | — | A | B− |
| Spring Brook Township | #641 | B | C+ | — | A | B |
Clifton Township, Lehigh Township, Thornhurst Township and Covington Township have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. Clifton Township, Lehigh Township, Coolbaugh Township, Thornhurst Township, Covington Township and Spring Brook Township report no FBI crime data of their own. Gouldsboro and Big Bass Lake aren’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Clifton Township with a neighbor →
Questions about Clifton Township
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Clifton Township, PA expensive?
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C.