City comparison
Clifton, NJ is about 60 miles (100 km) from Toms River, NJ in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 70 miles, or about 1 h 15 min behind the wheel at highway speeds.
Driving distance is a rough estimate (great-circle × 1.25); driving time assumes a 60 mph blended average. Real trips run 10–20% longer with stops.
A direct flight from Clifton, NJ to Toms River, NJ takes about 7 min, covering roughly 60 miles in a straight line. Connecting itineraries with a layover typically add 1–3 hours.
Block-to-block estimate at ~500 mph cruise, including taxi, climb, and descent — what an airline would publish, not pure airborne time.
Toms River has a population of 92,827, vs 89,451 in Clifton — about the same size. By land area, Toms River covers about 39 sq mi vs 11 sq mi for Clifton.
Population from US Census ACS. Land area from the Census Gazetteer (city proper, excluding inland water).
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Clifton | Toms River | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,633/mo | $1,592/mo | 2.6% higher in Clifton |
| Median home value | $428,000 | $356,100 | 20.2% higher in Clifton |
| Median household income | $94,179 | $92,012 | 2.4% higher in Clifton |
| Groceries index | 109.4 | 107.2 | 2.1% higher in Clifton |
| Utilities index | 124.5 | 121.4 | 2.6% higher in Clifton |
| Transportation index | 105.0 | 103.3 | 1.6% higher in Clifton |
| Healthcare index | 105.7 | 104.1 | 1.6% higher in Clifton |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Clifton, you'd need $98,004 in Toms River to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Toms River, NJ is about 2% cheaper overall than Clifton, NJ, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 2% higher in Clifton than in Toms River. If you earn $80,000 in Clifton, you'd need about $78,403 in Toms River to keep the same standard of living.