Clifton, NJ Real Estate Guide: Buy, Sell & Rent

Clifton is a Passaic County city of 90,296 residents as of the 2020 Census. It combines two NJ Transit train stations, the Garden State Parkway and four numbered highways, regional shopping along Route 3, and a collection of parks and historic sites. Here's what to know before you buy, sell, rent or invest in Clifton.

Why People Choose Clifton

Location does a lot of the work. Clifton borders towns in Bergen and Essex counties as well as its Passaic County neighbors, so much of North Jersey is a short drive away.

The city also has several distinct business areas instead of a single downtown. Clifton has created special improvement districts for its Main/Clifton business area and for the Historic Botany District, where a district management corporation supports facade improvements, cleanup, parking, events and business recruitment. Along Route 3, Clifton Commons and The Promenade Shops at Clifton add regional retail, restaurants and a movie theater.

Clifton is still growing. The city and neighboring Nutley have approved redevelopment plans for ON3, a mixed-use campus on the former Hoffmann-La Roche headquarters along Route 3. On the Clifton side, the plans allow up to 1,074 new multifamily apartments plus additional retail.

Getting Around: Commuting from Clifton

• Train: Clifton has two stations on NJ Transit's Main Line, which runs to Hoboken Terminal with a stop at Secaucus Junction for connections to New York Penn Station. Clifton station is at Elm and Fornelius Streets, with two NJ Transit parking lots. Delawanna station, on Delawanna Avenue at Oak Street near the Main Street exit off Route 3, has its own NJ Transit lot.
• Bus: NJ Transit's 192 (Clifton–New York) and 190 (Paterson–New York) routes connect the city with Midtown Manhattan, and the 195 express serves Clifton on its way to the Port Authority Bus Terminal. The local 705 links Clifton with Passaic, Bloomfield, Montclair State University and Willowbrook Mall. Check NJ Transit's current schedules for the route that fits your commute.
• Car: The Garden State Parkway, Route 3, Route 46, Route 21 and Route 19 all run through Clifton.

Neighborhoods and Housing Types

Athenia, once the site of a federal animal quarantine station, is now home to the Clifton Municipal Complex and the Arts Center. Delawanna, near Route 3, has its own train station. The Botany section is the focus of the Historic Botany District.

Across the city, the housing mix includes:

• Single-family homes in a range of styles and ages
• Two-family and other small multi-family houses, a common choice for owner-occupants who want rental income
• Apartment buildings, many of which fall under the city's rent control ordinance
• Condominiums for buyers who want lower-maintenance ownership

Census estimates show about 60 percent of occupied homes are owner-occupied, so renters are a large share of the market.

Buying a Home in Clifton

Clifton gives buyers several paths in. If you're using an FHA loan, you can buy a two-to-four family home with a low down payment as long as you live in one of the units, and rent from the other units can help with the mortgage.

Before you make an offer, we help you check:

• Flood risk: Clifton has dealt with flooding along Weasel Brook in the Athenia section, and the Passaic River forms part of the city's northeastern boundary. We check FEMA flood maps and insurance needs for every home.
• Older-home inspections: Look closely at the roof, heating system, electrical service, plumbing, foundation and any buried oil tank.
• Multi-family details: Legal unit count, separate utilities, certificate of occupancy requirements and any leases you'd be taking over.
• Condo associations: Monthly fees, reserves, rules and any planned special assessments.
• Property taxes: We pull the current tax figure for every home you're considering so your budget reflects the real carrying cost.

Need financing? We can connect you with a lender for pre-approval before you start touring.

Selling Your Clifton Home

Clifton sellers can reach rail and bus commuters, drivers who want the Parkway and Route 3, FHA first-time buyers and multi-family investors. A single-family, a two-family and a condo each compete in a different market, so pricing has to match the property. We'll prepare a free comparative market analysis based on recent sales of homes like yours, then market your home across the MLS and every major online channel.

Renting and Investing in Clifton

Rentals range from units in two-family houses to large apartment buildings. We help renters find a unit that fits their commute and budget, and we help landlords price, market and screen tenants.

Landlords need to know the rules. Clifton's rent control ordinance covers buildings with seven or more dwelling units. Units in four-, five- and six-family buildings that were already covered stay covered until the existing tenant moves out. Annual increases are capped at a percentage that depends on whether the landlord provides heat or air conditioning, and a Rent Leveling Board oversees the program. New Jersey also requires lead-based paint inspections for most rentals built before 1978, at tenant turnover or every three years.

For investors, we'll help you run realistic rents, taxes, insurance, flood exposure and rent control status so the numbers work from day one.

Local Landmarks and Amenities

• Clifton Arts Center and Sculpture Park, set in two historic barns from the former U.S. Animal Quarantine Station on the Clifton Municipal Complex grounds
• Weasel Brook Park, a Passaic County park at 794 Park Drive with a spray park, playground, basketball courts, a bike trail and a fitness circuit
• Westervelt-Vanderhoef House, a Dutch house about three centuries old in Weasel Brook Park, listed on the National Register of Historic Places
• Hamilton House, a 19th-century Dutch house at 971 Valley Road owned by the city and operated by Passaic County's Department of Cultural and Historic Affairs
• Clifton Commons on Route 3, with a movie theater, shops and restaurants
• The Promenade Shops at Clifton on Route 3
• Clifton City Hall at 900 Clifton Avenue
• Public schools: Clifton Public Schools, including Clifton High School

Nearby Town Guides

Comparing Clifton with nearby towns? Read our guides to Passaic, Paterson, Nutley and Garfield, or browse all of our North Jersey town guides.

Talk to a Local Broker

The Thompson Realty Group is a licensed New Jersey real estate brokerage based at 20 MacArthur Ave in Garfield, serving buyers, sellers, renters and investors across Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Passaic and Union counties. Whether you're a first-time FHA buyer, a cash investor, or a homeowner wondering what your place is worth, we'll give you straight answers about Clifton.

Call or text 201-928-5562 or book a free 15-minute consultation. You can also search every active New Jersey listing on our website.

Information on this page is provided for general guidance and is believed accurate as of October 2026. Programs, ordinances, taxes and transit schedules change, so please verify details for any specific property. Equal Housing Opportunity.