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Clifton is not as terrible as you make it out to be. As a general rule, everything south of Paulison Ave. is ok, with Montclair Heights, Allwood and Rosemawr being the best sections. Clifton is a great option for young single commuters to Hudson County and the City, DINKS, and young families looking for a starter home for a few years.
I definitely agree that the schools are not the greatest, especially CHS.
As for your other recommendations, Woodland Park is on par and Little Falls is only slightly above Clifton. PVHS is not the greatest either. Wayne is in another socio-economic class altogether. Houses start at around 450K and almost everything under that is in a flood zone. The taxes in Wayne are OUTRAGEOUS, even by NJ standards. I seriously don't understand why that's so. Fairfield is also expensive (cheaper than North Caldwell or Essex Fells, but still) and not in the same socio-economic class as Clifton. Apples and Oranges.
That's the problem with NJ, any place that's at least somewhat decent is super expensive. Clifton is the cheapest town in that whole area other than Paterson/Passaic but it's that way for a reason.
As someone whose lived in neighboring Montclair for a few years before, I've passed through Clifton many times, and yes it is as bad as I say it is. Most of it is considered "the ghetto". Yes, there are some nicer neighborhoods on par with Woodland Park, Elmwood Park, Wayne, etc, but that's a very small percentage of the town and those neighborhoods still have to deal with Clifton's awful schools. Truth be told, no schools in Passaic county are that good other than Wayne and West Milford. Lots of unwanted people by the business districts in Clifton; illegal immigrants standing on the side of the road for work is not an uncommon sight, and at night the drug dealers come out at night. Clifton was always a low income, working class town but Paterson/Passaic spillover has devastated Clifton, making it a dangerous, sketchy looking place.
You can get more for your money in Clifton in terms of homes than you can in Woodland Park, Little Falls, Totowa, Wayne, etc... but if I had to pick... I'd take a smaller sized home on a flood zone in a neighboring town like the one's I've mentioned earlier rather than a larger home in Clifton. At least I'd know I'd be more safe in a neighboring town.
That's the problem with NJ, any place that's at least somewhat decent is super expensive. Clifton is the cheapest town in that whole area other than Paterson/Passaic but it's that way for a reason.
As someone whose lived in neighboring Montclair for a few years before, I've passed through Clifton many times, and yes it is as bad as I say it is. Most of it is considered "the ghetto". Yes, there are some nicer neighborhoods on par with Woodland Park, Elmwood Park, Wayne, etc, but that's a very small percentage of the town and those neighborhoods still have to deal with Clifton's awful schools. Truth be told, no schools in Passaic county are that good other than Wayne and West Milford. Lots of unwanted people by the business districts in Clifton; illegal immigrants standing on the side of the road for work is not an uncommon sight, and at night the drug dealers come out at night. Clifton was always a low income, working class town but Paterson/Passaic spillover has devastated Clifton, making it a dangerous, sketchy looking place.
You can get more for your money in Clifton in terms of homes than you can in Woodland Park, Little Falls, Totowa, Wayne, etc... but if I had to pick... I'd take a smaller sized home on a flood zone in a neighboring town like the one's I've mentioned earlier rather than a larger home in Clifton. At least I'd know I'd be more safe in a neighboring town.
A lot of misinformation in this post
1.) Most of Clifton is not the ghetto! The worst parts are the areas that border Passaic by Paulison, Highland and Botany Village. Also the Lakeview area to a lesser extent.
2.) Elmwood Park is on par with Clifton. It's not better. Woodland Park is like a hairline better.
3.) Since when are West Milford schools good?
My only reservation about Clifton is the school system. However, if you don't need it, I would say about 75-80% of Clifton is FINE.
That's the problem with NJ, any place that's at least somewhat decent is super expensive. Clifton is the cheapest town in that whole area other than Paterson/Passaic but it's that way for a reason.
As someone whose lived in neighboring Montclair for a few years before, I've passed through Clifton many times, and yes it is as bad as I say it is. Most of it is considered "the ghetto". Yes, there are some nicer neighborhoods on par with Woodland Park, Elmwood Park, Wayne, etc, but that's a very small percentage of the town and those neighborhoods still have to deal with Clifton's awful schools. Truth be told, no schools in Passaic county are that good other than Wayne and West Milford. Lots of unwanted people by the business districts in Clifton; illegal immigrants standing on the side of the road for work is not an uncommon sight, and at night the drug dealers come out at night. Clifton was always a low income, working class town but Paterson/Passaic spillover has devastated Clifton, making it a dangerous, sketchy looking place.
You can get more for your money in Clifton in terms of homes than you can in Woodland Park, Little Falls, Totowa, Wayne, etc... but if I had to pick... I'd take a smaller sized home on a flood zone in a neighboring town like the one's I've mentioned earlier rather than a larger home in Clifton. At least I'd know I'd be more safe in a neighboring town.
Such an invalid post.
Most of Clifton is fine.
The only parts that look seedy and "devastated" that I could think of are the areas that border Passaic and Paterson.
And in even these areas I have never felt unsafe.
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