Clifton is a town in and the county seat of Greenlee County, Arizona, United States, along the San Francisco River. As of the 2020 census, Clifton had a population of 3,933. It was a place of the Arizona copper mine strike of 1983. Clifton and Morenci are thought to be an economic area by the Arizona Department of Commerce.

Official town website ↗

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

How Clifton ranks

All →

#2Lowest property tax in AZ #5Cheapest rent in AZ #9Most affordable in AZ All AZ rankings →

Town numbers

ZIP code85533

Area code928

Living in Clifton

Work & commute in Clifton

Full picture →

Most working residents leave Clifton for work: only 8% work in town. The top destinations are Morenci (56%), Phoenix (7%) and Tucson (3%). Half commute less than 2 miles.

Morenci

56%

Phoenix

Tucson

Safford

8%Work in townlive and work in Clifton 2 miWhere do people commute?the commute map 420Jobs based herea commuter town

Census LEHD 2023 · ACSWork & commute in Clifton →

Health in Clifton

A⁻

Health Grade A−

Healthier than 78% of U.S. towns on seven CDC estimates.

Compared with Arizona

9better than AZ·5worse

of 32 measures CDC estimates. The other 18 are too close to call.

Conditions 9▲ 3 close Habits all close Care 5▼ 2 close Mind all close Everyday needs all close

BetterToo close to callWorse

What stands out

5.2%Fewer adults who have had cancerAZ 8.8% · better 4.1%Fewer adults with COPDAZ 6.6% · better 16.2%More uninsured adultsAZ 13.2% · worse

Care nearby

Mt. Graham Regional Medical CenterSafford · 29.7 mi · ER · rural critical access

Canyonlands Healthcare - CliftonClifton · 1 mi · sliding-scale fees

Primary careNo shortage

DentalNo shortage

Mental healthNo shortage

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CDC's estimate for Clifton · CMS · HRSAHealth in Clifton →

Natural hazards in Clifton

Very high

Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 95% of U.S. communities.

🌊 Inland flooding🔥 Wildfire⚡ Lightning

96Does Clifton flood?paid flood claims since 1978 1Disasters that paid out herefederal disaster sent FEMA money to Clifton

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025 · OpenFEMANatural hazards in Clifton →

Climate in Clifton

Full climate →

Clifton has mild winters and hot summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 97°, a January night drops to 32°, and snow is almost unheard of.

60° / 33°Winter

78° / 47°Spring

96° / 67°Summer

79° / 50°Fall

How much snow does Clifton get?Almost none.Rain & snow →When is the first frost?Around Nov 23, with the last in spring around Feb 26.Frost dates →Is it warmer than it used to be?+1.1° vs. the 20th century.Then & now →

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Climate in Clifton →

Schools in Clifton

All Clifton schools →

B⁺

School Grade B+

The public schools Clifton’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, outperform 72% of Arizona’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the top.

#20Best public schoolsof 117 in AZ

DistrictMorenci Unified District (4230)Schools4

Metcalf Elementary School AElementary · Grades PK–4 · 777 students Fairbanks Middle School BMiddle · Grades 5–8 · 398 students Morenci High School BHigh · Grades 9–12 · 361 students GIFT-Morenci High SchoolHigh · Grades 9–12

School data from the U.S. Department of Education (NCES, EDFacts). The School Grade is our own summary of state test results and graduation rates, graded within AZ. Ratings are from neighbors.