Town Hall · Clifton

Clifton, NJ town hall & government

Clifton spent $129.9 million in the year to December 31, 2024, about $1,464 per resident.

Where the money goes, where it comes from, property taxes, and how to reach Clifton's government.

Local leadership

Who runs Clifton

From public records (Open States and Wikidata), which can lag behind an election. If a name is out of date, tell us: when two neighbors agree, it's hidden until the records catch up.

Meetings

Coming up at Clifton's town hall

  • Oct 6Tue · 6:30 pm
    City CouncilCity Council Meeting - First Tuesday900 Clifton Ave. Meeting page ↗
  • Oct 20Tue · 6:00 pm
    City CouncilCity Council Meeting - Third Tuesday900 Clifton Ave. Meeting page ↗
  • Oct 20Tue · 6:30 pm
    City CouncilCity Council Meeting - 3rd Tuesday900 Clifton Ave. Meeting page ↗
  • Nov 4Wed · 6:30 pm
    City CouncilCity Council Meeting *WEDNESDAY900 Clifton Ave. Meeting page ↗
  • Nov 16Mon · 6:30 pm
    City CouncilCity Council Meeting * MONDAY900 Clifton Ave. Meeting page ↗
  • Nov 17Tue · 6:30 pm
    City CouncilCity Council Meeting - 3rd Tuesday900 Clifton Ave. Meeting page ↗

Recent meetings

Official listings from Clifton's agenda portal ↗, checked daily. Times are local. Agendas can change up to the meeting, so check the portal before you go.

Town budget

Where Clifton's money goes

Spent
$129.9 million
fiscal year to December 31, 2024
Per resident
$1,464
typical New Jersey cities: $2,212
Long-term debt
$63.9 million
$721 per resident
Police
$24.3 million19%
Sewer & trash
$19.5 million15%
Fire
$16.6 million13%
Parks & libraries
$9.1 million7%
Health & welfare
$3.7 million3%
Housing & development
$3.3 million3%
Roads & transportation
$3.3 million3%
Courts, inspections & corrections
$3.1 million2%
Administration & buildings
$3 million2%
Interest on debt
$2.2 million2%
Other
$41.8 million32%

Where the money comes from

  • Property taxes 68%
  • Fees & charges 15%
  • From the federal government 7%
  • Interest, fines & other 5%
  • Other taxes & licenses 2%
  • From the state 1%
  • Sales taxes 1%
  • From other local governments <1%
Town workforce · Census estimate

Who works for Clifton

Full-time staff
535
158 part-time too
Average full-time pay
$103,200
a year, before benefits
Sworn police officers
153
and 137 full-time firefighters
Police
186 full-time
Fire
146 full-time2 part
Parks & libraries
44 full-time28 part
Administration & buildings
30 full-time5 part
Sewer & trash
25 full-time
Health & welfare
19 full-time3 part
Courts, inspections & corrections
15 full-time8 part
Roads & transportation
5 full-time1 part
Other
65 full-time111 part

Staff on the town's payroll in March 2025. Pay is March payroll times twelve, so it's approximate. Clifton didn't report its staffing to the Census Bureau, so these are the Bureau's estimates.

Schools · school year 2023–24

Clifton City School District

Clifton's K–12 school district. It is its own government, with a budget separate from the town's.

Spending per pupil
$25,478
New Jersey: $28,441
Students
11,010
in the whole district
Long-term debt
$161.1 million
at year end

Where the district's money comes from New Jersey districts overall: 48% local, 46% state, 6% federal

  • Local 45%
  • State 44%
  • Federal 11%

Of the $25,478 per pupil, $15,483 goes to classroom instruction (teachers, aides, supplies); the rest to support services such as buses, buildings, counselors and administration. Building projects and debt payments aren't in the per-pupil figure.

Property tax

What homeowners in Clifton pay

Typical tax bill
$10,000+
a year · New Jersey typical $9,590
Typical home value
$461,900
owner-occupied

The median yearly bill homeowners report, covering every local property tax on the home (town, schools, county). The effective rate is that bill divided by the median home value, so it's a rough guide, not the official tax rate.

Local

Contact Clifton's government

🏛️ Official websitecliftonnj.org ↗

Town hall & decisions in Clifton →

Beyond town hall

Who represents Clifton

Clifton is represented in Congress by Senators Cory A. Booker and Andy Kim and Representative Nellie Pou. Mikie Sherrill is governor.

All of Clifton's representatives, with contacts →

Budget: U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 Census of Governments: Finance (every city and town government's revenue, spending and debt, grouped into plain categories). Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 5-year estimates.

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Clifton

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