Clifton is a

city A city is a human settlement of a substantial size. The term "city" has different meanings around the world and in some places the settlement can be very small. Even where the term is limited to larger settlements, there is no universally agree ...

in Passaic County, in the U.S. state of

New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...

. Criss-crossed by several major highways, the city is a regional commercial hub for North Jersey and is a

bedroom suburb A bedroom or bedchamber is a room situated within a residential or accommodation unit characterized by its usage for sleeping. A typical Western world, western bedroom contains as bedroom furniture one or two beds, a clothes closet, and bedsid ...

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

in the

New York Metropolitan Area The New York metropolitan area, also called the Tri-State area and sometimes referred to as Greater New York, is the List of cities by GDP, largest metropolitan economy in the world, with a List of U.S. metropolitan areas by GDP, gross metropo ...

.Levin, Jay
"Living in Clifton, N.J.: Where a Lot of Little Worlds Commingle"
, ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'', March 14, 2018. Accessed May 24, 2023. "There are multiple ways to commute to their jobs in Manhattan, some 15 miles away.... Buses provide Clifton transit commuters the most direct way to Manhattan: From Route 3, it is a straight shot to the Lincoln Tunnel." As of the 2020 United States Census, the city retained its position as the state's 11th-most-populous municipality, just behind tenth-ranked Trenton, and well ahead of

Cherry Hill Cherry Hill often refers to: * Cherry Hill, New Jersey, a township in Camden County, New Jersey * Cherry Hill, Prince William County, Virginia, a census-designated place Cherry Hill may also refer to: Places Canada * Cherry Hill, Nova Scotia, a ...

in twelfth place,Table1. New Jersey Counties and Most Populous Cities and Townships: 2020 and 2010 Censuses
,

New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development The New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development is a governmental agency of the U.S. state of New Jersey. The New Jersey Civil Service Commission is an independent body within the New Jersey state government under the auspices of ...

. Accessed December 1, 2022. with a population of 90,296, reflecting an overall increase of 6,160 (+7.3%) from the 2010 census count of 84,136, which in turn reflected an overall increase of 5,464 (+6.9%) from the 78,672 counted in the 2000 census. The

Population Estimates Program The Population Estimates Program (PEP) is a program of the U.S. Census Bureau that publishes annual population estimates and estimates of birth, death, and international migration rates for people in the United States. In addition to publishing t ...

calculated a population of 88,461 for 2023, making Clifton the 394th-most populous municipality in the nation.Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places of 20,000 or More, Ranked by July 1, 2023 Population: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, released May 2024. Accessed May 30, 2024. Note that townships (including Edison, Lakewood and Woodbridge, all of which have larger populations) are excluded from these rankings. Clifton was incorporated as a city by an act of the

New Jersey Legislature The New Jersey Legislature is the legislative branch of the government of the U.S. state of New Jersey. In its current form, as defined by the New Jersey Constitution of 1947, the Legislature consists of two houses: the General Assembly and ...

on April 26, 1917, replacing Acquackanonk Township, based on the results of a referendum held two days earlier.Snyder, John P
''The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606–1968''
, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 209. Accessed March 16, 2012. Clifton is listed under five different ZIP codes. 07011, 07012, 07013, 07014, and 07015. Clifton has been named as one of the best cities to live in the United States.

History

The city of Clifton turned 100 years old in April 2017, but documented European settlements in the area date back to 1679, when a leader of the

Lenape The Lenape (, , ; ), also called the Lenni Lenape and Delaware people, are an Indigenous peoples of the Northeastern Woodlands, Indigenous people of the Northeastern Woodlands, who live in the United States and Canada. The Lenape's historica ...

Native Americans gave a deed for along the shores of the Passaic River to Hans Frederick.Gicas, Tony
"Clifton celebrates 100 years of history, change"
, '' The Record'', April 26, 2017. Accessed December 27, 2022. "City historical documents show that a community has lived on land comprising present-day Clifton since 1679 when an Indian sachem named Captahem gifted Hans Frederick a deed for 11,000 acres on the shores of the Passaic River. Inspired by the Native American word Haquequenunk, the area was known as Acquackanonk Township from 1693 until 1917. During its early days, portions of what is now Paterson, Woodland Park, Little Falls and the entirety of Passaic fell within Acquackanonk borders." The modern name of "Clifton" was derived from the cliffs of Garrett Mountain, which borders the Albion Place neighborhood in the western part of the city. Clifton was once an agricultural hub, and home to the U.S. Animal Quarantine Station, which was operated in Clifton by the

United States Department of Agriculture The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is an executive department of the United States federal government that aims to meet the needs of commercial farming and livestock food production, promotes agricultural trade and producti ...

, starting in 1903. It was served by the Newark Branch of the Erie–Lackawanna Railroad. It was the primary location on the East Coast where animals from poultry, horses, and cattle, to zoo animals, were held in

quarantine A quarantine is a restriction on the movement of people, animals, and goods which is intended to prevent the spread of disease or pests. It is often used in connection to disease and illness, preventing the movement of those who may have bee ...

after being brought into the United States, to ensure that the animals were not infected with diseases that could be spread in the U.S. The federal station operated in Clifton until the late 1970s, when the facility was relocated to Stewart International Airport. Although Clifton has long converted from farmlands to suburban neighborhoods, given its close proximity to Manhattan, the city still has three small working farms that sell fresh and organic vegetables in-season: * Ploch's Farm is a family-run farm since 1867. The farm is still in operation as Clifton's last remaining farm. Ploch's Farm is open seasonally selling fruits and vegetables during the months of August and September. * City Green Farm Eco Center is an organic farm and 501(c)3 non-profit focused on promoting urban farming and education since 2011. The property, which was the site of the Schultheis Farm, was acquired by the city in 2005 for permanent preservation as open space. * Richfield Farms is a family-run farm and garden center since 1917, which had escaped redevelopment efforts in 2018.

Geography

According to the

, the city had a total area of 11.43 square miles (29.60 km²), including 11.27 square miles (29.19 km²) of land and 0.16 square miles (0.41 km²) of water (1.37%). The

Passaic River The Passaic River ( or ) is a river, approximately long, in North Jersey, northern New Jersey. The river in its upper course flows in a highly circuitous route, meandering through the swamp lowlands between the ridge hills of rural and suburb ...

provides part of the boundary of Clifton at its northeastern edge. Weasel Brook is a tributary of the Passaic, which links from Plog Brook, passing through its namesake Weasel Brook Park, before turning south and joining the Passaic River close to Route 21. Unincorporated communities, localities, and place names, located partially or completely within the city, include: * Albion Place – mostly residential, and adjacent to Garret Mountain Reservation in the northwestern corner of the city; * Allwood – the other main "business district" in the city, along its main highway, State Route 3; * Athenia – one of the more centrally located neighborhoods in the city, as well as home to one of the city's two train stations, and adjacent to the 3rd Ward Park neighborhood in Passaic; * Botany Village – the northernmost neighborhood in the city, historically containing European ethnic groups, but mostly populated by Hispanic/Latino immigrants in recent years; * Delawanna – home to one of the two train stations locally, in the southeastern corner of the city, and adjacent to Nutley/the 3rd Ward Park neighborhood in Passaic; * Dutch Hill – mostly residential, and largely situated near downtown and one of the two local train stations; * Lakeview – shares its name with the adjacent neighborhood in Paterson, along the western edge of the city, and mostly populated by Arabic and Hispanic/Latino residents; * Main Mall – largely considered the main "downtown" section of the city; * Montclair Heights – one of the wealthiest neighborhoods locally, adjacent to both Montclair State University, as well as Upper Montclair, in the southwestern corner of the city; * Richfield – another of the more centrally located neighborhoods in the city, along with Athenia; * Rosemawr – largely residential and wealthier, falling partially within Allwood, and home to an Orthodox Jewish community associated with a neighboring one in the city of Passaic, with which it shares the Passaic/Clifton

Eruv An ''eruv'' (; , , also transliterated as ''eiruv'' or ''erub'', plural: ''eruvin'' or ''eruvim'') is a ritual ''halakhic'' enclosure made for the purpose of allowing activities which are normally Activities prohibited on Shabbat, prohibited ...

* Styertowne – home to the main namesake shopping plaza in the city; * Yanticaw Pond – adjacent to the neighboring municipalities of Bloomfield, Nutley, and Montclair Clifton is located off both Route 3 and Route 46, and is situated west of

Midtown Manhattan Midtown Manhattan is the central portion of the New York City borough of Manhattan, serving as the city's primary central business district. Midtown is home to some of the city's most prominent buildings, including the Empire State Building, the ...

, which is accessible via the Lincoln Tunnel. The city is also served by the

Garden State Parkway The Garden State Parkway (GSP) is a Controlled-access highway, controlled-access toll road that stretches the north–south length of eastern New Jersey from the state's southernmost tip near Cape May, New Jersey, Cape May north to the New York ...

, Route 19 and Route 21; all of those highways pass either around or through parts of the city. The city borders the municipalities of Little Falls, Passaic, Paterson, and Woodland Park in Passaic County; Elmwood Park,

Garfield ''Garfield'' is an American comic strip created by Jim Davis (cartoonist), Jim Davis. Originally published locally as ''Jon'' in 1976 (later changed to ''Garfield'' in 1977), then in nationwide Print syndication, syndication from 1978, it chro ...

, Lyndhurst, and Rutherford in

Bergen County Bergen County is the List of counties in New Jersey, most populous County (United States), county in the U.S. state of New Jersey.Bloomfield, Montclair, and Nutley in Essex County.

Demographics

2020 census

2010 census

The 2010 United States census counted 84,136 people, 30,661 households, and 21,125 families in the city. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...

was . There were 31,946 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup was 69.63% (58,588)

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 4.92% (4,137) Black or African American, 0.50% (419) Native American, 8.90% (7,488) Asian, 0.03% (22)

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...

, 12.44% (10,464) from other races, and 3.59% (3,018) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 31.92% (26,854) of the population. Of the 30,661 households, 30.3% had children under the age of 18; 50.3% were married couples living together; 13.0% had a female householder with no husband present and 31.1% were non-families. Of all households, 26.0% were made up of individuals and 11.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.74 and the average family size was 3.33. 22.0% of the population were under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 28.3% from 25 to 44, 27.0% from 45 to 64, and 13.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38.4 years. For every 100 females, the population had 93.2 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 90.4 males. The Census Bureau's 2006–2010

American Community Survey The American Community Survey (ACS) is an annual demographics survey program conducted by the United States Census Bureau. It regularly gathers information previously contained only in the long form of the United States census, decennial census ...

showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars)

median household income The median income is the income amount that divides a population into two groups, half having an income above that amount, and half having an income below that amount. It may differ from the mean (or average) income. Both of these are ways of und ...

was $62,271 (with a margin of error of +/− $3,208) and the median family income was $76,070 (+/− $2,883). Males had a median income of $49,780 (+/− $2,391) versus $40,149 (+/− $2,057) for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the city was $29,812 (+/− $1,255). About 7.2% of families and 9.3% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 15.5% of those under age 18 and 9.3% of those age 65 or over. Same-sex couples headed 243 households in 2010.

2000 census

As of the 2000 United States census there were 78,672 people, 30,244 households, and 20,354 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 31,060 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 66.22%

, 2.89%

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.24% Native American, 6.44% Asian, 0.03%

, 9.60% from other races, and 4.57% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino people of any race were 19.84% of the population.Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Clifton city
,

. Accessed December 18, 2011.DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 – Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Clifton city, New Jersey
,

. Accessed July 13, 2012. There were 30,244 households, out of which 28.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.3% were married couples living together, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.7% were non-families. 27.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.20. In the city the population was 21.6% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 30.7% from 25 to 44, 22.5% from 45 to 64, and 17.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.1 males. The median income for a household in the city was $50,619, and the median income for a family was $60,688. Males had a median income of $40,143 versus $32,090 for females. The

for the city was $23,638. About 4.3% of families and 6.3% of the population were below the

, including 8.6% of those under age 18 and 5.2% of those age 65 or over. The most common ancestry groups in Clifton as of 2000 were

Italian American Italian Americans () are Americans who have full or partial Italians, Italian ancestry. The largest concentrations of Italian Americans are in the urban Northeastern United States, Northeast and industrial Midwestern United States, Midwestern ...

(17%),

Polish American Polish Americans () are Americans who either have total or partial Polish ancestry, or are citizens of the Republic of Poland. There are an estimated 8.81 million self-identified Polish Americans, representing about 2.67% of the U.S. population, ...

(13%),

Irish American Irish Americans () are Irish ethnics who live within in the United States, whether immigrants from Ireland or Americans with full or partial Irish ancestry. Irish immigration to the United States From the 17th century to the mid-19th c ...

(9%) and

German American German Americans (, ) are Americans who have full or partial German ancestry. According to the United States Census Bureau's figures from 2022, German Americans make up roughly 41 million people in the US, which is approximately 12% of the pop ...

(8%). Many Turkish, Albanian, and Ukrainian immigrants also live in Clifton. There are significant populations of

Puerto Ricans Puerto Ricans (), most commonly known as Puerto Rico#Etymology, Boricuas, but also occasionally referred to as '':es:Anexo:Gentilicios de Puerto Rico#Lista general, Borinqueños'', '':es:Anexo:Gentilicios de Puerto Rico#Lista general, Borincan ...

Dominicans Dominicans () also known as Quisqueyans () are an ethnic group, ethno-nationality, national people, a people of shared ancestry and culture, who have ancestral roots in the Dominican Republic. The Dominican ethnic group was born out of a fusio ...

Arabs Arabs (, , ; , , ) are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in West Asia and North Africa. A significant Arab diaspora is present in various parts of the world. Arabs have been in the Fertile Crescent for thousands of yea ...

Filipinos Filipinos () are citizens or people identified with the country of the Philippines. Filipinos come from various Austronesian peoples, all typically speaking Filipino language, Filipino, Philippine English, English, or other Philippine language ...

, Chinese, and Indians as well.

Economy

Clifton is a diverse suburb of New York City, just over 10 miles to the West of the city. It boasts numerous national and local shopping options and countless specialty grocers and retailers. Notable local businesses in Clifton include: * The world headquarters of Comodo, a leading cybersecurity company, is in Clifton. * Rutt's Hut, a

hot dog A hot dog is a grilled, steamed, or boiled sausage served in the slit of a partially sliced bun. The term ''hot dog'' can also refer to the sausage itself. The sausage used is a wiener ( Vienna sausage) or a frankfurter ( Frankfurter Würs ...

restaurant, is located at the east end of Delawana Avenue. Established in 1928, it was described by Peter Applebome of ''

'' as being "on the long shortlist of the state's esteemed hot dog palaces". * Clifton Commons, a shopping center located near Route 3, features numerous stores, restaurants and a 16-screen

AMC AMC may refer to: Film and television * AMC Theatres, an American movie theater chain * AMC Networks, an American entertainment company ** AMC (TV channel) ** AMC+, streaming service ** AMC Networks International, an entertainment company *** ...

movie theater, with a gross leasable area of . * Promenade Shops at Clifton is an upscale mall located on Route 3 West. * Many low-rise office buildings, containing professional tenants such as law and accounting firms and medical practices, are found on the stretch of Clifton Avenue between City Hall (at Van Houten) and Allwood Road. * The now defunct Linens 'n Things, a bedding and home furnishings retailer, was headquartered in Clifton before its 2009 bankruptcy.

Parks and recreation

* Weasel Brook Park, a county park located along the Weasel Brook, was designed by

Olmsted Brothers The Olmsted Brothers company was a Landscape architecture, landscape architectural firm in the United States, established in 1898 by brothers John Charles Olmsted (1852–1920) and Frederick Law Olmsted Jr. (1870–1957), sons of the landscape ar ...

landscaping firm. It features the Vanderhoef–Westervelt House, listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

. * Morris Canal Park and Jack W. Kuepfer Sr. Nature Preserve, features a small water-filled portion of the historic

Morris Canal The Morris Canal (1829–1924) was a toll road, common carrier Anthracite, anthracite coal canal across North Jersey, northern New Jersey that connected the two industrial canals in Easton, Pennsylvania across the Delaware River from its weste ...

Government

Local government

The city of Clifton is governed under the

1923 Municipal Manager Law The 1923 Municipal Manager Law was the last type of reformed municipal government the state of New Jersey introduced in the Progressive Era. The law introduced to New Jersey the council–manager form of government first developed in Sumter, So ...

. The city is one of seven municipalities (of the 564) statewide governed under this form. The governing body is the City Council, which is comprised of seven council members, with all positions elected

at-large At large (''before a noun'': at-large) is a description for members of a governing body who are elected or appointed to represent a whole membership or population (notably a city, county, state, province, nation, club or association), rather tha ...

on a

non-partisan Nonpartisanship, also known as nonpartisanism, is a lack of affiliation with a political party and a lack of political bias. While an ''Oxford English Dictionary'' definition of ''partisan'' includes adherents of a party, cause, person, etc., ...

basis to concurrent four-terms of office as part of the November general election. The mayor is chosen by the City Council, with the position traditionally given to the top vote getter in the previous election.''2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book'',

Rutgers University Rutgers University ( ), officially Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a Public university, public land-grant research university consisting of three campuses in New Jersey. Chartered in 1766, Rutgers was originally called Queen's C ...

Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, April 2006, p. 165. Clifton's municipal elections had been held in May, as required for municipalities conducting non-partisan elections. Following the passage of a state law in 2010 allowing non-partisan elections to be shifted to November, Clifton voters were overwhelmingly in favor of the move in a non-binding referendum held in November 2013. On December 13, 2013, the Clifton City Council voted 6–0, with one abstention, to make the move to November local elections binding, which had the effect of extending the terms of all sitting council members by six months, from June 30 to December 31. Officials cited increased voter participation and reduced costs as the justifications behind supporting the shift. As of 2023, Clifton's mayor is Raymond Grabowski, whose term of office ends December 31, 2026. He replaced James Anzaldi, who had been one of the members of the City Council since 1978, and was first selected to be mayor in 1990, succeeding two-term mayor Gloria Kolodziej. Anzaldi was the first mayor in Clifton's history to be elected to six terms. The other current members of the City Council are Chris D'Amato, William "Bill" Gibson, Antonio Latona, Joseph Kolodziej, Rosemary Pino, Mary Sadrakula, all of whom are serving concurrent terms of office that end on December 31, 2026.City Council
, City of Clifton. Accessed April 10, 2022.''Passaic County 2021 Directory''
, Passaic County, New Jersey, April 2021. Accessed April 10, 2022.November 6, 2018 Summary Report Passaic County Official Results
, Passaic County, New Jersey, updated November 12, 2015. Accessed September 15, 2019. Grabowski's election and Council nomination as mayor ended up being considered the most contentious local political event since 1966, when the then-top vote getter, Bill Bate, the only Democrat on the Council at that time, ended up getting passed over in favor of Joseph Vanecek, as, this time around, Grabowski would only get four of the seven possible votes on the Council, as opposed to Anzaldi, who won most, if not all, of those votes unanimously, in each of his terms, with the other three votes going to newcomer Antonio Latona (Grabowski/Kolodziej/Murphy/Sadrakula voting for Grabowski; Gibson/Latona/Pino, surprisingly, voting for Latona, all despite Gibson reportedly privately considering taking enough of those votes away from Grabowski to become mayor himself as of January 2023, even though Grabowski won at the polls in November 2022 by the final margin of roughly 9,400–8,200).

Vacancies

If at any time a seat becomes vacant on the council, it is filled by special election unless the vacancy occurs during a council election year. If the vacancy comes before a council election year, the council must decide whether or not to appoint someone to serve as an interim councilperson within thirty days of the creation of the vacancy; if they choose to appoint someone, that person serves until the special election can be held and is eligible to run for the remainder of the term if he/she so desires. The appointee will usually be the first runner up in the previous council election. The city has done this five times since 1990: *In 1992, Councilman George Bayeux died in office. His seat was left vacant and in the special election held in November 1992, Richard Stockinger was elected to take his place.Tedeschi, Bruno
"Richard Stockinger, Longtime Clifton Gop Stalwart"
'' The Record'', March 25, 1996. Accessed August 21, 2014. "Mr. Stockinger won his City Council seat in a special election in November 1992 after the death of Councilman George Bayeaux." *In March of 1996, a vacancy was created when Stockinger, who had been elected to a full term when the council stood for election in 1994, died from lung cancer. His seat remained vacant, and the special election to fill his seat was held in November 1996 and won by Edward Welsh.McGrath, Mary
"Municipal Elections At A Glance"
'' The Record'', November 6, 1996. Accessed August 21, 2014. "Democrat Edward Welsh, vice chairman of the Planning Board, won a landslide victory Tuesday in the race for the City Council seat left vacant after the death of Richard Stockinger in March." *After the newly elected council had been sworn in in 2006, Antonio Latona was forced to vacate his seat as it was determined that, as a city employee (at the time, Latona was a working member of the city fire department), serving on the council would be a conflict of interest. Matt Ward, who had finished eighth in the election, was appointed to fill the vacancy in November of that year.Kindergan, Ashley
"Clifton Council fills vacant seat"
'' The Record'', November 14, 2006. Accessed August 21, 2014. "The City Council tapped Matthew Ward, the runner-up in May's municipal elections, to fill a vacant seat on Monday night." The city held a special election in November 2007 to fill the remainder of the term; Ward defeated three other candidates to win.Keller, Karen
"Clifton -- Election 2007: Municipal Results"
'' The Record'', November 7, 2007. Accessed August 21, 2014. "Incumbent Matthew Ward won a special election Tuesday to complete an unexpired term on the City Council, beating three challengers." *In February 2015, just after he was sworn into office for his second term, Councilman Matt Grabowski died from cancer. The council appointed Joseph Cupoli, the highest vote-getter among the previous losing candidates, to fill the seat until the November election. Raymond Grabowski, the councilman's brother, won the special election to serve out the remainder of the term.November 3, 2015 Summary Report Passaic County Official Results
, Passaic County, New Jersey, updated November 12, 2015. Accessed July 28, 2016. *On January 13, 2024, Councilwoman Lauren Murphy died after a battle with pancreatic cancer. The council chose Chris D’Amato, who finished eighth in the previous council election, to fill the vacancy on February 3; D'Amato won the special election to fill the remainder of the term in November 2024.

Federal, state and county representation

Clifton is located in the 9th Congressional District,Plan Components Report
, New Jersey Redistricting Commission, December 23, 2011. Accessed February 1, 2020. and is part of New Jersey's 27th state legislative district.Municipalities Sorted by 2023-2031 Legislative District
, New Jersey Department of State. Accessed September 1, 2023. As of the state legislative elections in November 2023, Clifton will be part of the 27th Legislative District, with both Clifton and Montclair leaving the 34th, and joining Livingston, Millburn, Roseland, and West Orange in Essex County, in that Legislative District; that reapportionment decision represented compromise between state legislators in both parties - the initial Democratic plan would have kept the existing 34th District entirely intact, while the initial Republican plan would have added it to the 40th Legislative District, placing it with some of the longtime Republican-leaning municipalities in that district.

Politics

As of January 2021, there were a total of 53,555 registered voters in Clifton, of which 22,940 (42.8% vs. 31.0% countywide) were registered Democrats, 9,562 (18% vs. 18.7%) were registered Republicans, and 20,150 (37.5% vs. 50.3%) were registered Unaffiliated. There were 19 voters registered to other parties.Voter Registration Summary - Passaic
, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, March 23, 2011. Accessed January 16, 2013. Among the city's 2020 Census population, 52.9% (vs. 53.2% in Passaic County) were registered to vote, including 67.9% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 70.8% countywide). In the 2020 presidential election, Democrat

Joe Biden Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. (born November 20, 1942) is an American politician who was the 46th president of the United States from 2021 to 2025. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he served as the 47th vice p ...

received 59% of the vote (23,930 cast), ahead of the then-President, Republican Donald Trump, with 39.7% of the vote (16,128 cast), and all other candidates with 1.3% of the vote (565 cast), among the 40,623 ballots cast by the city's 57,785 registered voters (70.3%). In the 2016 presidential election, Democrat

Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, lawyer and diplomat. She was the 67th United States secretary of state in the administration of Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, a U.S. senator represent ...

received 60% of the vote (20,425 votes cast), ahead of Republican

Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he served as the 45 ...

with 37% (12,620 votes cast), and all other candidates with their combined 3% (973 votes). In the 2012 presidential election, the then-President, Democrat

Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. O ...

, received 62.6% of the vote (18,761 cast), ahead of Republican

Mitt Romney Willard Mitt Romney (born March 12, 1947) is an American businessman and retired politician. He served as a United States Senate, United States senator from Utah from 2019 to 2025 and as the 70th governor of Massachusetts from 2003 to 2007 ...

with 36.3% (10,885 votes), and other candidates with 1.0% (305 votes), among the 30,261 ballots cast by the city's 47,933 registered voters (310 ballots were spoiled), for turnout of 63.1%. In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 18,260 votes (56.5% vs. 58.8% countywide), ahead of Republican

John McCain John Sidney McCain III (August 29, 1936 – August 25, 2018) was an American statesman and United States Navy, naval officer who represented the Arizona, state of Arizona in United States Congress, Congress for over 35 years, first as ...

with 12,848 votes (39.8% vs. 37.7%) and other candidates with 334 votes (1.0% vs. 0.8%), among the 32,317 ballots cast by the city's 44,903 registered voters, for turnout of 72.0% (vs. 70.4% in Passaic County). In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat

John Kerry John Forbes Kerry (born December 11, 1943) is an American attorney, politician, and diplomat who served as the 68th United States secretary of state from 2013 to 2017 in the Presidency of Barack Obama#Administration, administration of Barac ...

received 15,597 votes (52.0% vs. 53.9% countywide), ahead of the then-President, Republican

George W. Bush George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician and businessman who was the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Bush family and the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he i ...

, with 13,120 votes (43.8% vs. 42.7%), and other candidates with 228 votes (4.2% vs. 0.7%), among the 29,971 ballots cast by the city's 41,220 registered voters, for turnout of 72.7% (vs. 69.3% in the whole county). In the 2021 gubernatorial election, the incumbent governor, Democrat Phil Murphy, received 10,240 votes cast (54%), ahead of Republican Jack Ciattarelli with 8,485 votes cast (45%), and all other candidates with 200 combined votes (1%), among the 18,925 ballots cast by the city's 53,555 registered voters (35.3%); despite Murphy winning by noticeably closer margins both locally and statewide compared to 2017, there were many more in-person votes cast once again, in contrast with 2020. In the 2017 gubernatorial election, Democrat

Phil Murphy Philip Dunton Murphy (born August 16, 1957) is an American politician, diplomat, and financier serving as the 56th governor of New Jersey since 2018. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he was elected governor i ...

received 9,465 votes cast (61.3%), ahead of Republican Kim Guadagno with 5,655 votes cast (36.7%), and all other candidates with 315 combined votes (2%), among the 15,435 ballots cast by the city's 52,065 registered voters (30%). In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican

Chris Christie Christopher James Christie (born September 6, 1962) is an American politician and former United States Attorney, federal prosecutor who served as the 55th governor of New Jersey from 2010 to 2018. A member of the Republican Party (United States) ...

received 56.0% of the vote (9,300 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 42.8% (7,100 votes), and other candidates with 1.2% (200 votes), among the 16,600 ballots cast by the city's 49,230 registered voters (361 ballots were spoiled), for turnout of 34.5%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Democrat Jon Corzine received 9,080 ballots cast (49.1% vs. 50.8% countywide), ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 8,220 votes (44.5% vs. 43.2%), Independent Chris Daggett with 787 votes (4.3% vs. 3.8%), and other candidates with 243 votes (1.3% vs. 0.9%), among the 18,330 ballots cast by the city's 43,800 registered voters, yielding 42.2% turnout (vs. 42.7% in the county). In the 2005 gubernatorial election, Democrat Jon Corzine received 9,925 votes cast (56.5%), ahead of Republican Doug Forrester with 7,038 votes cast (40%), and all other candidates with 625 votes cast (3.5%), among the 17,588 ballots cast by the city's 39,878 registered voters (46%). In the 2001 gubernatorial election,

Jim McGreevey James Edward McGreevey (born August 6, 1957) is an American politician of the Democratic Party who served as the 52nd governor of New Jersey from 2002 until his resignation in 2004 amidst a sex scandal. McGreevey served in the New Jersey Genera ...

, the unsuccessful Democratic nominee in

1997 Events January * January 1 – The Emergency Alert System is introduced in the United States. * January 11 – Turkey threatens Cyprus on account of a deal to buy Russian S-300 missiles, prompting the Cypriot Missile Crisis. * January 1 ...

, received 10,015 votes cast (55.5%), ahead of Republican Bret Schundler with 7,850 votes cast (43.5%), and all other candidates with 175 combined votes (1.5%), among the 18,040 total votes cast locally in said election.

Education

The Clifton Public Schools serve students in

pre-kindergarten Pre-kindergarten (also called pre-K or PK) is a voluntary classroom-based preschool program for children below the age of five in the United States, Canada, Turkey and Greece (when kindergarten starts). It may be delivered through a preschool ...

through

twelfth grade Twelfth Grade (also known as Grade 12, Senior Year, Standard 12, 12th Standard, 12th Class, or Class 12th or Class 12) is the twelfth and final Educational stage, year of Formal education, formal or compulsory education. It is typically the final ...

. As of the 2020–21 school year, the district, comprised of 18 schools, had an enrollment of 10,514 students and 870.5 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a

student–teacher ratio The student–teacher ratio or student–faculty ratio refers to the number of students who attend a school or university divided by the number of teachers or staff in the institution. For example, a student–teacher ratio of 10:1 indicates that ...

of 12.1:1.District information for Clifton Public School District
,

National Center for Education Statistics The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is the principal federal agency responsible for collecting, analyzing, and reporting data on education in the United States. Established under , it operates within the Institute of Education S ...

. Accessed February 15, 2022. Schools in the district (with 2020–21 enrollment data from the

) are Clifton Early Learner Academy (377 students; in grades Pre-K), School One (245; K–5), School Two (385; K–5), School Three (282; K–5), School Four (141; K–5), School Five (373; K–5), School Eight (169; Pre-K–5), School Nine (285; K–5), School Eleven (415; K–5), School Twelve (616; Pre-K–5), School Thirteen (447; K–5), School Fourteen (356; K–5), School Fifteen (310; Pre-K–5), School Sixteen (195; K–5), School Seventeen (476; Pre-K–5), Christopher Columbus Middle School (1,172; 6–8), Woodrow Wilson Middle School (1,276; 6–8) and Clifton High School (2,891; 9–12). With more than 3,300 students enrolled in 2006, Clifton High School was the largest single-facility high school in New Jersey; Elizabeth High School had more students, but they were spread over multiple campuses before the school was split into separate academies. An additional overflow site, the Clifton High School Annex, was constructed at a cost of $17 million and opened in September 2009 to accommodate 540 of the school year's 850 incoming ninth graders to alleviate overcrowding. Classical Academy Charter School of Clifton, a

charter school A charter school is a school that receives government funding but operates independently of the established state school system in which it is located. It is independent in the sense that it operates according to the basic principle of autono ...

founded in 1998 for Clifton residents that provides an education based on the

classics Classics, also classical studies or Ancient Greek and Roman studies, is the study of classical antiquity. In the Western world, ''classics'' traditionally refers to the study of Ancient Greek literature, Ancient Greek and Roman literature and ...

to students in sixth through eighth grades, was recognized in 2008 by the

National Blue Ribbon Schools Program The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program is a United States Department of Education award program that recognizes exemplary public and non-public schools on a yearly basis. Using standards of excellence evidenced by student achievement measures, ...

. Private schools in Clifton include Saint Philip Preparatory School, a K–8 elementary school that operates under the auspices of the

Roman Catholic Diocese of Paterson The Diocese of Paterson () is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory, or diocese, of the Catholic Church in North Jersey, northern New Jersey. It is a suffragan diocese in the ecclesiastical province of the metropolitan Roman Catholic Archdiocese ...

. St. Andrew the Apostle School was closed after the 2017–2018 school year due to financial challenges and a decline in the number of students registering for the new school year. St. Brendan Catholic School, which opened in 1946, was closed after the 2018–2019 school year and merged with the Academy of St. James in Totowa, with the merged school to be called The Academy of St. James and St. Brendan.

Emergency services

The Clifton Police Department is a full-service department, and employs 159 sworn officers, 20 public safety telecommunicators, 12 civilian officers, and 25 part-time special officers. The department is led by Chief Thomas Rinaldi, who was named to the position in February 2020, and made full-time June 1, 2020. The Clifton Fire Department has 143 full-time firefighters. The department operates a fleet of five engines, two ladders, and three basic life support ambulances 24/7, along with three marine rescue boats, a foam pumper and tender, light rescue truck, and haz-mat unit, which are cross staffed. The department is led by Chief Frank S. Prezioso. Hatzolah of Passaic/Clifton EMS is a volunteer service that primarily covers the Passaic Park neighborhood of Passaic, and parts of Clifton. Hatzolah operates two ambulances strategically parked throughout the community, with a third on standby, available to assist neighboring chapters such as Union City and Elizabeth.

Transportation

Roads and highways

, the city had a total of of roadways, of which were maintained by the municipality, by Passaic County, by the

New Jersey Department of Transportation The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) is the agency responsible for transportation issues and policy in New Jersey, including maintaining and operating the state's highway and public road system, planning and developing transport ...

and by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority. Major roadways in the city include Route 3 (which crosses from

east East is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from west and is the direction from which the Sun rises on the Earth. Etymology As in other languages, the word is formed from the fact that ea ...

to west along the southern portion of the city), Route 21 (along the Passaic River), Route 19 in the city's northwest and U.S. Route 46. The

crosses the city, connecting Bloomfield in Essex County to the south to Elmwood Park in

Bergen County Bergen County is the List of counties in New Jersey, most populous County (United States), county in the U.S. state of New Jersey.NJ Transit trains at the Clifton station and Delawanna station follow the NJ Transit Main Line to Suffern and Hoboken Terminal. Until 1966, the Newark Branch of the Erie-Lackawanna Railroad served several stations in the town, Athenia (Colfax Avenue) and Allwood. The Newark Branch tracks are now used for freight only, operated by

Norfolk Southern The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I freight railroad operating in the Eastern United States. Headquartered in Atlanta, the company was formed in 1982 with the merger of the Norfolk and Western Railway and Southern Railway. The comp ...

. NJ Transit provides bus service on the 190, 191, 192 and 195 routes to the

Port Authority Bus Terminal The Port Authority Bus Terminal (colloquially known as the Port Authority and by its acronym PABT) is a bus station, bus terminal located in Manhattan in New York City. It is the busiest bus terminal in the world by volume of traffic, serving ab ...

, to Newark on the 13, 27 and 72 routes, and local service on the 74, 702, 703, 705, 707, 709, 744 routes. DeCamp Bus Lines provided service on the 33 and 66 routes to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in

, until discontinuing its commuter routes in April 2023.

In popular culture

* The character of Rupert Pupkin in

Martin Scorsese Martin Charles Scorsese ( , ; born November17, 1942) is an American filmmaker. One of the major figures of the New Hollywood era, he has received List of awards and nominations received by Martin Scorsese, many accolades, including an Academ ...

's film '' The King of Comedy'' comes from Clifton. * The movie '' Donnie Brasco'', which starred

Johnny Depp John Christopher Depp II (born June 9, 1963) is an American actor and musician. He is the recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Johnny Depp, multiple accolades, including a Golden Globe Award as well as nominations for ...

and Al Pacino, was filmed partially in Clifton in 1996. * Many scenes from ''

The Sopranos ''The Sopranos'' is an American Crime film#Crime drama, crime drama television series created by David Chase. The series follows Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini), a New Jersey American Mafia, Mafia boss who suffers from panic attacks. He reluct ...

'' were filmed in the town, including the Main Memorial Park and Clifton High School. The golf scenes were filmed at the Upper Montclair Country Club. * New York Yankee Hall of Famers

Yogi Berra Lawrence Peter "Yogi" Berra (born Lorenzo Pietro Berra; May 12, 1925 – September 22, 2015) was an American professional baseball catcher who later took on the roles of Manager (baseball), manager and Coach (baseball), coach. He played 19 seas ...

and Phil Rizzuto owned a bowling alley in Clifton called "Rizzuto-Berra Bowling Lanes." The alley, later known as Astro Bowl, was located in the Styertowne Shopping Center in the Allwood section of town and remained open until 1999. * The Upper Montclair Country Club was home to the NFL Golf Classic and the Thunderbird Classic. The Sybase Classic golf tournament was held there annually until 2009. * Baseball Hall of Famer

Honus Wagner Johannes Peter "Honus" Wagner ( ; February 24, 1874 – December 6, 1955) was an American baseball shortstop who played 21 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1897 to 1917, mostly with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Nicknamed "the Flying Dutc ...

played his last two seasons (1896–1897) of minor league baseball for the Paterson Silk Sox. While the team was named Paterson, the team played their games at Doherty Field, located off of Main Avenue behind the Doherty Silk Mill. * Clifton has an old

sewerage Sewerage (or sewage system) is the infrastructure that conveys sewage or surface runoff ( stormwater, meltwater, rainwater) using sewers. It encompasses components such as receiving drains, manholes, pumping stations, storm overflows, and scr ...

system, accessible to intrepid urban explorers and evidently not actively maintained by any municipal authority or utility, known to some as the "Gates Of Hell." The walls are full of

graffiti Graffiti (singular ''graffiti'', or ''graffito'' only in graffiti archeology) is writing or drawings made on a wall or other surface, usually without permission and within public view. Graffiti ranges from simple written "monikers" to elabor ...

. The Clifton "Gates of Hell" are featured in the 2003 book ''Weird N.J.: Your Travel Guide to New Jersey's Local Legends and Best Kept Secrets,'' published by '' Weird New Jersey''.

Notable people

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Clifton include: * Jay Alford (born 1983), defensive lineman and long snapper for the Super Bowl XLII champion

New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The ...

* Nina Arianda (born 1984), film and theatrical actress * Greg Bajek (born 1968), retired

soccer Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 Football player, players who almost exclusively use their feet to propel a Ball (association football), ball around a rectangular f ...

player and coach who owned the Jersey Falcons in the

USL Premier Development League USL League Two (USL2), formerly the Premier Development League (PDL), is a semi-professional soccer league sponsored by United Soccer Leagues in the United States, forming part of the United States soccer league system. The league will featu ...

* William J. Bate (1934–2011), politician who served as a

state senator A state senator is a member of a State legislature (United States), state's senate in the bicameral legislature of 49 U.S. states, or a member of the unicameral Nebraska Legislature. History There are typically fewer state senators than there ...

, assemblyman, and judge * Sofia Black-D'Elia (born 1991), actress; played Tea Marvelli in '' Skins'', Sage Spence in ''

Gossip Girl ''Gossip Girl'' is an American teen drama television series created and developed by Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage and based on the series of novels of the same name by Cecily von Ziegesar. It follows a group of students on Manhattan's ...

'' and Andrea Cornish in '' The Night Of'' * Jonathan Borrajo (born 1987), soccer wingback / defensive midfielder who played for the

New York Red Bulls The New York Red Bulls are an American professional association football, soccer club based in the New York metropolitan area. The Red Bulls compete in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Eastern Conference (MLS), Eastern Conferenc ...

* Todd Brewster, author, journalist, former Senior Editorial Producer for

ABC News ABC News most commonly refers to: * ABC News (Australia), a national news service of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation * ABC News (United States), a news-gathering and broadcasting division of the American Broadcasting Company ABC News may a ...

* Russ Carroccio (1931–1994),

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...

offensive lineman In gridiron football, a lineman is a player who specializes in play at the line of scrimmage. The linemen of the team currently in possession of the ball are the offensive line (OL), while linemen on the opposing team are the defensive line ( ...

who played in the NFL for the

and the

Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The team plays its ...

* * Rubin Carter (1937–2014), professional boxer, author, motivational speaker and activist; the subject of the

Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan; born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Described as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture over his nearly 70-year ...

song "

Hurricane A tropical cyclone is a rapidly rotating storm system with a low-pressure area, a closed low-level atmospheric circulation, strong winds, and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that produce heavy rain and squalls. Depending on its ...

" *

David Chase David Henry Chase (born August 22, 1945) is an American writer, producer, and director. He is best known for being the creator, head writer, and executive producer of the HBO drama ''The Sopranos'', which aired for six seasons between 1999 and 2 ...

(born 1945), creator of ''

'' * Bartolo Colón (born 1973), pitcher for the

New York Mets The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National ...

* Dow H. Drukker (1872–1963), represented 1914–1919 *

Peter C. Eagler Peter C. Eagler (November 23, 1954 – May 11, 2024) was an American Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party politician from New Jersey, who represented the New Jersey's 34th legislative district, 34th legislative district in the New J ...

(1954–2024), politician who represented the 34th legislative district in the

New Jersey General Assembly The New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature. Since the election of 1967 (1968 session), the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts f ...

from 2002 to 2006 * Lew Erber (1934–1990),

American football American football, referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada and also known as gridiron football, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular American football field, field with goalposts at e ...

coach who was offensive coordinator for the

New England Patriots The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. The Patriots compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The Pa ...

and won two Super Bowls with the

Oakland Raiders The Oakland Raiders were a professional American football team based in Oakland, California, from its founding in 1960 to 1981, and again from 1995 to 2019 before Oakland Raiders relocation to Las Vegas, relocating to the Las Vegas metropolitan ...

* Vera Farmiga (born 1973), actress and director * John Feikens (1917–2011), United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan * Hector Fonseca (born 1980), DJ and music producer * Dan Garrett, head football coach for Kean University Cougars football team *

Gary Geld Gary Geld (born October 18, 1935, Paterson, New Jersey) is an American composer known for his work creating musical theatre, musicals and popular songs with his lyricist partner Peter Udell. Raised in Clifton, New Jersey, Geld graduated from Clift ...

(born 1935),

composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and def ...

known for his work creating

musical Musical is the adjective of music. Musical may also refer to: * Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance * Musical film Musical film is a film genre in which songs by the Character (arts), charac ...

s and popular songs with his lyricist partner Peter Udell. * Richard Godwin (1922–2005), the first Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics * Bob Holly (born 1960), former

quarterback The quarterback (QB) is a position in gridiron football who are members of the offensive side of the ball and mostly line up directly behind the Lineman (football), offensive line. In modern American football, the quarterback is usually consider ...

in the NFL for the

Washington Redskins The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East ...

and

Atlanta Falcons The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta. The Falcons compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. The Falcons were founded o ...

* Jay Horwitz (born 1945), former media relations director for the

Tommy James Tommy James (born Thomas Gregory Jackson; April 29, 1947) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. James is the frontman of the rock band Tommy James and the Shondells, which is known for hit singles such as "Mony Mony", ...

(born 1947), musician, singer / songwriter and record producer, best known for such songs as " Mony Mony" as leader of Tommy James and the Shondells * Father Mychal F. Judge (1933–2001), FDNY

Chaplain A chaplain is, traditionally, a cleric (such as a minister, priest, pastor, rabbi, purohit, or imam), or a lay representative of a religious tradition, attached to a secular institution (such as a hospital, prison, military unit, intellige ...

; first official death of the

September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks The September 11 attacks, also known as 9/11, were four coordinated Islamist terrorist suicide attacks by al-Qaeda against the United States in 2001. Nineteen terrorists hijacked four commercial airliners, crashing the first two into ...

on the World Trade Center * Karin Korb (born 1967), retired

wheelchair tennis Wheelchair tennis is one of the forms of tennis Adaptive sport, adapted for wheelchair users. The size of the court, net height and rackets are the same, but there are two major differences from pedestrian tennis: athletes use specially designe ...

player who twice competed at the Summer Paralympics * Stephen Kovacs (1972–2022),

saber A sabre or saber ( ) is a type of backsword with a curved blade associated with the light cavalry of the Early Modern warfare, early modern and Napoleonic period, Napoleonic periods. Originally associated with Central European cavalry such a ...

fencer and fencing coach, charged with

sexual assault Sexual assault is an act of sexual abuse in which one intentionally Physical intimacy, sexually touches another person without that person's consent, or Coercion, coerces or physically forces a person to engage in a sexual act against their w ...

, died in prison * Wojtek Krakowiak (born 1976), retired Polish-American

midfielder In the sport of association football, a midfielder takes an Glossary of association football terms#O, outfield position primarily in the middle of the pitch. Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in t ...

who was the head coach of the Montana State University Billings women's soccer team after playing professionally in

Major League Soccer Major League Soccer (MLS) is a professional Association football, soccer league in North America and the highest level of the United States soccer league system. It comprises 30 teams, with 27 in the United States and 3 in Canada, and is sanc ...

* Garret Kramer, author and performance coach * Stan Lembryk (born 1969), retired professional soccer player * Sue Macy (born 1954), author, whose 2019 book, ''The Book Rescuer'', won the Sydney Taylor Book Award from the Association of Jewish Libraries * Ernest Mario (born 1938), pharmaceutical executive * Ronald F. Maxwell (born 1949), movie director * Kayla Meneghin (born 1994)

ice hockey Ice hockey (or simply hockey in North America) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an Ice rink, ice skating rink with Ice hockey rink, lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. Tw ...

forward who played for the Buffalo Beauts of the

Premier Hockey Federation The Premier Hockey Federation (PHF) was a women's professional ice hockey league in the United States and Canada that operated from March 2015 until June 2023. The league was established in 2015 as the National Women's Hockey League (NWHL), com ...

* Matt Miazga (born 1995), defender for Chelsea F.C. in

Premier League The Premier League is a professional association football league in England and the highest level of the English football league system. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the English Football Lea ...

* Geri Miller (born 1942), former go-go dancer and actress * Adam Najem (born 1995), professional

footballer A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, American football, Canadian football, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, rugby lea ...

who plays as a

for

FC Edmonton FC Edmonton was a Canadian professional Association football, soccer club based in Edmonton, Alberta. The club was founded in 2010 and competed in the North American Soccer League (2011–2017), North American Soccer League (NASL) from 2011 t ...

and the Afghanistan national team *

David Najem David Najem (Dari: داوید نجم; born May 26, 1992) is a professional footballer who plays as a defender for the Afghanistan national team. Najem grew up in Clifton, New Jersey and attended Paramus Catholic High School, where he set sc ...

(born 1992),

player who plays as a

for the New York Red Bulls II in the USL * Chris Opperman (born 1978), modern composer; performed on

Steve Vai Steven Siro Vai ( ; born June 6, 1960) is an American guitarist, songwriter, and producer. A three-time Grammy Award winner and fifteen-time nominee, Vai started his music career in 1978 at the age of eighteen as a Transcription (music), transc ...

's Grammy-nominated composition "Lotus Feet"; grew up in Clifton and attended CHS * Jazlyn Oviedo (born 2002),

who plays as a

for the Dominican Republic women's national team * Morris Pashman (1912–1999),

New Jersey Supreme Court The Supreme Court of New Jersey is the supreme court, highest court in the U.S. state of New Jersey. In its current form, the Supreme Court of New Jersey is the final judicial authority on all cases in the state court system, including cases cha ...

Justice * Angelo Paternoster (1919–2012), offensive tackle for the

; went on to practice dentistry in Clifton * Nikki Phillips (born 1987), American-born Polish

defender and

, who has played with FC Kansas City in the

National Women's Soccer League The National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) is a women's professional Association football, soccer league and the highest level of the United States soccer league system#Women's leagues, United States soccer league system (alongside the USL Supe ...

and for the Poland national team * Michael J. Pollard (1939–2019), character actor and comedian who played C.W. Moss in the 1967 film '' Bonnie and Clyde'' , for which he received an

Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor The Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It has been awarded since the 9th Academy Awards to an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in ...

nomination * Anthony Provenzano (1917–1988),

International Brotherhood of Teamsters The International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) is a labor union in the United States and Canada. Formed in 1903 by the merger of the Team Drivers International Union and the Teamsters National Union, the union now represents a diverse members ...

official and mobster who was allegedly associated with the disappearance of Jimmy Hoffa * Pamela Radcliff (born 1956), historian and professor at the University of California at San Diego; an authority on the history of modern

Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...

* Norman M. Robertson (born 1951), politician who served on the Passaic County Board of Chosen Freeholders and later in the New Jersey State Senate, 1997–2001 * Giuseppe Rossi (born 1987),

player * Miriam Sandler, singer and dancer; prolific backup singer during the 1990s for

Latin pop Latin pop () is a pop music subgenre that is a fusion of US–style music production with Latin music genres from anywhere in Latin America and Spain. It originates with List of countries where Spanish is an official language, Spanish-speaking ...

artists such as Jon Secada and

Gloria Estefan Gloria María Milagrosa Estefan (; ; born September 1, 1957) is an American singer, actress, and businesswoman. Estefan is an eight-time Grammy Awards, Grammy Award winner, a Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient, and has been named one of t ...

* Jon Seda (born 1970), actor best known for his roles in NBC's '' Homicide: Life on the Street'' and the movie ''

Selena Selena Quintanilla-Pérez (; April 16, 1971 – March 31, 1995) was an American singer-songwriter. Known as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Tejano Music", her contributions to music and fashion made her one of the most cel ...

'' * James P. Shenton (1925–2003), historian of nineteenth-and twentieth-century America and professor at

Columbia University Columbia University in the City of New York, commonly referred to as Columbia University, is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Churc ...

* Steve Smith (born 1985), wide receiver for the New York Football Giants *

Jimmy Snuka James Reiher Snuka (born James Wiley Smith; May 18, 1943 – January 15, 2017) was a Fijian and American professional wrestler, better known by the ring name Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka. Snuka wrestled for several promotions from the 1970s to 2010s ...

(1943–2017), professional wrestler * William Staub (1915–2012), inventor of the home treadmill * Gloria Struck (born 1925), Motorcycle Hall of Fame inductee * Walt Szot (1920–1981), football tackle who played five seasons in the National Football League with the

Chicago Cardinals The professional American football team now known as the Arizona Cardinals previously played in Chicago, Illinois, as the Chicago Cardinals from 1898 to 1959 before relocating to St. Louis, Missouri, for the 1960 through 1987 seasons. Roots ca ...

and

Pittsburgh Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. Founded in 1933 P ...

* Dave Szott (born 1967), former NFL offensive lineman who played for the

New York Jets The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Jets compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The team p ...

* Patricia Travers (1927–2010), classical violinist * Paul L. Troast (1894–1972), building contractor, chairman of the New Jersey Turnpike Authority during its construction, and one-time failed gubernatorial candidate in 1953 * Joe Lynn Turner (born 1951), singer * Lawrence Tynes (born 1978), former NFL kicker who played for the

* Dave White (born 1979), Derringer Award-winning mystery author and educator * Ivan Wilzig (born 1956), techno musician * Gerald H. Zecker (born 1942), member of the

; mayor of Clifton 1978–1982 * Rachel Zegler (born 2001), actress starring in Stephen Spielberg's film adaptation of ''

West Side Story ''West Side Story'' is a Musical theatre, musical conceived by Jerome Robbins with music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and a Book (musical theatre), book by Arthur Laurents. Inspired by William Shakespeare's play ''Romeo an ...

''Kramer, Peter D
"Steven Spielberg's ''West Side Story'' Maria on stage in Lodi this weekend"
, '' The Record'', April 11, 2019. Accessed July 18, 2019. "Friday was big for Clifton's Rachel Zegler."

References

External links

City of Clifton website
{{Authority control 1917 establishments in New Jersey 1923 Municipal Manager Law Cities in New Jersey Cities in Passaic County, New Jersey Populated places established in 1917