Clifton, New Jersey facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Clifton, New Jersey
City
Clifton viewed from above. The Garden State Parkway is visible on the left, with the Passaic River in the upper right and New Jersey Route 3 near the bottom
Seal
Nickname(s):  "The City that Cares"
Map of Clifton in Passaic County. Inset: location of Passaic County highlighted in the State of New Jersey.
Census Bureau map of Clifton, New Jersey <mapframe text="Interactive map of Clifton, New Jersey" zoom="8" width="250" height="250"> { "type": "ExternalData", "service": "geoshape", "ids": "Q254428" } </mapframe>
Clifton, New Jersey Location in Passaic County, New Jersey Show map of Passaic County, New Jersey Clifton, New Jersey Location in New Jersey Show map of New Jersey Clifton, New Jersey Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	New Jersey
County	Passaic
Incorporated	April 26, 1917
Government
• Type	1923 Municipal Manager Law
• Body	City Council
Area
• Total	11.43 sq mi (29.60 km2)
• Land	11.28 sq mi (29.20 km2)
• Water	0.15 sq mi (0.40 km2)  1.37%
Area rank	197th of 565 in state 4th of 16 in county
Elevation	131 ft (40 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	90,296
• Estimate  (2023)	88,461
• Rank	394th in country (as of 2021) 11th of 565 in state 2nd of 16 in county
• Density	8,008.5/sq mi (3,092.1/km2)
• Density rank	51st of 565 in state 4th of 16 in county
Time zone	UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT))
ZIP Codes	07011–07015
Area code(s)	973
FIPS code	3403113690
GNIS feature ID	0885188

Clifton is a city in Passaic County, New Jersey. It's a busy place with many major roads. Clifton is also a place where many people live who work in New York City.

In 2020, about 90,296 people lived in Clifton. This made it the 11th largest city in New Jersey. The city was officially formed on April 26, 1917. Clifton uses five different ZIP Codes: 07011, 07012, 07013, 07014, and 07015. It has been called one of the best cities to live in the United States.

History of Clifton

Clifton became a city in April 1917, so it turned 100 years old in 2017! But people lived here much earlier. In 1679, a leader of the Lenape Native Americans gave land along the Passaic River to Hans Frederick.

The name "Clifton" comes from the cliffs of Garrett Mountain, which is nearby. Long ago, Clifton had many farms. It was also home to a special station where animals from other countries were kept for a while. This was to make sure they didn't bring any diseases into the U.S. This station operated until the late 1970s.

Even though Clifton has mostly changed from farms to neighborhoods, it still has three small working farms. They sell fresh vegetables when they are in season:

• Ploch's Farm has been run by the same family since 1867. It is Clifton's last remaining farm. You can buy fruits and vegetables there in August and September.
• City Green Farm Eco Center is an organic farm that teaches people about farming. It started in 2011. The city bought this land in 2005 to keep it as open space.
• Richfield Farms is a family farm and garden center that opened in 1917.

Clifton's Geography

Clifton covers about 11.4 square miles (29.6 square kilometers). Most of this is land, with a small part being water.

The Passaic River forms part of Clifton's border on its northeastern side. Weasel Brook flows into the Passaic River. It passes through Weasel Brook Park, which is named after the brook.

Clifton has several distinct neighborhoods and areas:

• Albion Place is mostly homes, next to Garret Mountain Reservation.
• Allwood is another main shopping area, located along Route 3.
• Athenia is a central neighborhood with one of the city's two train stations.
• Botany Village is in the northern part of the city. It used to have many European families but now has more Hispanic/Latino residents.
• Delawanna is in the southeastern part of the city. It has one of the two train stations.
• Dutch Hill is mostly homes, close to downtown and a train station.
• Lakeview shares its name with a neighborhood in Paterson. It has many Arabic and Hispanic/Latino residents.
• Main Mall is considered the main downtown area of Clifton.
• Montclair Heights is a wealthier area. It is next to Montclair State University.
• Richfield is another central neighborhood, like Athenia.
• Rosemawr is a residential area with an Orthodox Jewish community.
• Styertowne is home to a main shopping plaza.
• Yanticaw Pond is near the towns of Bloomfield, Nutley, and Montclair.

Clifton is about 15 miles west of Midtown Manhattan. You can get there through the Lincoln Tunnel. Major highways like Route 3, Route 46, Garden State Parkway, Route 19, and Route 21 all pass through or around the city.

Clifton borders several other towns. These include Little Falls, Passaic, Paterson, and Woodland Park in Passaic County. It also borders Elmwood Park, Garfield, Lyndhurst, and Rutherford in Bergen County. In Essex County, it borders Bloomfield, Montclair, and Nutley.

Clifton's Population

Population in 2020

In 2020, Clifton had 90,296 people living there. The city has a diverse population.

Population in 2010

In 2010, Clifton had 84,136 people. There were 30,661 households and 21,125 families. The average household had 2.74 people, and the average family had 3.33 people.

About 22% of the people were under 18 years old. About 13.9% were 65 or older. The median age was 38.4 years.

Clifton's Economy

Rutt's Hut, in Clifton, was opened in 1928.

Clifton is a diverse city close to New York City. It has many places to shop and eat. Here are some notable local businesses:

• Comodo is a major cybersecurity company. Its world headquarters are in Clifton.
• Rutt's Hut is a famous hot dog restaurant. It opened in 1928 and is known as one of the best hot dog places in New Jersey.
• Clifton Commons is a large shopping center. It has many stores, restaurants, and a big movie theater with 16 screens.
• Promenade Shops at Clifton is an upscale mall located on Route 3 West.
• Many office buildings in Clifton house businesses like law firms, accounting firms, and medical offices.

Parks and Recreation in Clifton

Clifton has nice parks for outdoor activities:

• Weasel Brook Park is a 19-acre county park. It was designed by a famous landscaping company. The park features the Vanderhoef–Westervelt House, which is a historic building.
• Morris Canal Park and Jack W. Kuepfer Sr. Nature Preserve has a small part of the old Morris Canal filled with water.

Education in Clifton

The Clifton Public Schools serve students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. The school district has 18 schools. In the 2020–21 school year, there were over 10,500 students.

Schools in the district include:

• Clifton Early Learner Academy (Pre-K)
• Schools One through Sixteen (K–5)
• Christopher Columbus Middle School (6–8)
• Woodrow Wilson Middle School (6–8)
• Clifton High School (9–12)

Clifton High School is one of the largest high schools in New Jersey. An extra building, the Clifton High School Annex, was built to help with overcrowding. It opened in 2009.

Classical Academy Charter School of Clifton is a special school that opened in 1998. It teaches students in grades 6-8 using a classic education style. It was recognized as a "National Blue Ribbon School" in 2008.

There are also private schools in Clifton, such as Saint Philip Preparatory School.

Emergency Services

Clifton has its own police and fire departments.

• The Clifton Police Department has 159 police officers. They also have staff who answer emergency calls.
• The Clifton Fire Department has 143 full-time firefighters. They have five fire engines, two ladder trucks, and three ambulances. They also have special vehicles for water rescues and hazardous materials.
• Hatzolah of Passaic/Clifton EMS is a volunteer ambulance service. They help people in parts of Clifton and Passaic.

Transportation in Clifton

The Garden State Parkway southbound in Clifton

As of 2010, Clifton had about 200 miles of roads. Most of these roads are maintained by the city.

Major highways in Clifton include Route 3, Route 21, Route 19, and U.S. Route 46. The Garden State Parkway also goes through Clifton. It connects Bloomfield to Elmwood Park.

Public Transportation

NJ Transit trains stop at the Clifton station and Delawanna station. These trains go to Suffern and Hoboken Terminal.

NJ Transit also provides bus service. Buses go to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan and to Newark. There are also local bus routes within the city.

Notable People from Clifton

Many interesting people have lived in or are from Clifton:

• Jay Alford (born 1983), a football player who won the Super Bowl with the New York Giants.
• Nina Arianda (born 1984), an actress in movies and plays.
• Sofia Black-D'Elia (born 1991), an actress known for roles in TV shows like Skins and Gossip Girl.
• Rubin Carter (1937–2014), a professional boxer and activist.
• David Chase (born 1945), the creator of the TV show The Sopranos.
• Bartolo Colón (born 1973), a baseball pitcher for the New York Mets.
• Vera Farmiga (born 1973), an actress and director.
• Tommy James (born 1947), a musician famous for songs like "Mony Mony".
• Father Mychal F. Judge (1933–2001), a chaplain for the FDNY who died on September 11, 2001.
• Matt Miazga (born 1995), a soccer player who plays for Chelsea F.C..
• Michael J. Pollard (1939–2019), an actor known for his role in the movie Bonnie and Clyde.
• Giuseppe Rossi (born 1987), an Italian-American soccer player.
• Jon Seda (born 1970), an actor known for Homicide: Life on the Street and Selena.
• Steve Smith (born 1985), a wide receiver for the New York Football Giants.
• William Staub (1915–2012), who invented the home treadmill.
• Rachel Zegler (born 2001), an actress who starred in the movie West Side Story.

Images for kids

• 

  The Vanderhoef–Westervelt House in Weasel Brook Park

See also

In Spanish: Clifton (Nueva Jersey) para niños