Who Is Paying More Taxes? Property Values & Assessments
In New Jersey, property taxes are calculated strictly on your Assessed Value using the certified tax rate: (Assessment ÷ 100) × 6.527%. Explore sample residential assessment rolls across Clifton neighborhoods, compare bedrooms, bathrooms, square footage, heating, and see who shoulders the highest tax bills.
ℹ️ Why is your assessed value so different from market value?
~33.3% Equalization Ratio
ℹ️ Why is your assessed value so different from market value?
Like many New Jersey municipalities that haven't conducted a citywide revaluation in years, Clifton operates on an Equalization Ratio of ~33.3% (established by the Passaic County Board of Taxation). This means a home with a true market value of $600,000 is typically assessed on city books for approximately $200,000.
To compensate for these lower assessed values, the statutory tax rate appears higher (6.527%). When multiplied together: $200,000 × 6.527% = $13,054 annual tax, which equals an effective market tax rate of approximately 2.18% of true market value.
📚 Official Data Sources & Verification Links
Cit-e-Net & MOD-IV Records
📚 Official Data Sources & Verification Links
- City of Clifton Official Cit-e-Net Tax & Assessment Inquiry ↗ Direct lookup for every parcel in Clifton by Block, Lot, address, or tax account.
- Passaic County Board of Taxation MOD-IV Tax Portal ↗ Supervising county assessment rolls, tax maps, and certified property records for District 1602.
- NJ State MOD-IV Central Assessment Query System (District 1602 - Clifton) ↗ Statewide electronic MOD-IV property assessment database covering land and building valuations.
- Passaic County Clerk Official Land Records & Deed Search ↗ Official public registry for recorded property deeds, sales prices, mortgages, and transfers.
Clifton Demographics, Neighborhoods & Tax Disparities
Merging census population records with certified property assessments reveals how tax burdens, age groups, income levels, and school utilization vary dramatically between Clifton's zip codes and neighborhoods.
The Clifton ZIP Code Divide: 07011, 07012, 07013 & 07014
Spatial Tax Analysis
The Clifton ZIP Code Divide: 07011, 07012, 07013 & 07014
Clifton is divided into four distinct residential postal zones—07011 (East/Botany), 07012 (Allwood Station), 07013 (Montclair Heights/West), and 07014 (Delawanna/South)—each with unique demographic makeups, median incomes, and tax footprints.
Clifton Neighborhood Explorer: 6 Distinct Zones
Granular Property Tax Breakdown
Clifton Neighborhood Explorer: 6 Distinct Zones
From prestigious Montclair Heights to historic Botany Village, explore how property values, taxes, and demographics shift across town:
Where Do Clifton Schools Get Their Students? Family & Child Demographics
U.S. Census & NJ DOE Data
Where Do Clifton Schools Get Their Students? Family & Child Demographics
Examining households with children under 18 reveals which neighborhoods supply students to the 10,750-student district, and contrasts school utilization against local property tax contributions.
📊 Who Pays for the Schools vs. Where Students Live
Clifton BOE $293.2M Budget Spatial Distribution| ZIP Code / Area | Total Households | % Households with Kids | School-Age Children | District Students | % of All Students | % School Tax Paid | Fiscal Ratio |
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🏫 Clifton Public Schools Feeder Network (17 Schools)
Explore all 14 elementary schools, 2 middle schools, and Clifton High School with student counts, neighborhood zones, and feeder patterns.
Fiscal Equity & Watchdog Insights: Who Pays vs. Who Benefits?
Citizen Analysis
Fiscal Equity & Watchdog Insights: Who Pays vs. Who Benefits?
📚 Official Data Sources & Verification Links
Census, County & DOE
📚 Official Data Sources & Verification Links
- U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts & ACS 5-Year Data Profile: Clifton City, NJ ↗ Official demographic, household income, homeownership, and poverty rate benchmarks.
- Passaic County Board of Taxation Certified Assessment Rolls ↗ Aggregate parcel counts, aggregate net taxable valuation by line item, and equalization tables.
- NJ Department of Education District Fall Enrollment Data (Clifton Public Schools) ↗ Student enrollment and school utilization metrics across 07011 and 07013 attendance zones.
Who Works at Clifton: City Hall & Board of Education
Public employee compensation is funded entirely by taxpayer dollars and is open public record under NJ law. Search leadership, department heads, school administration, and collective bargaining groups.
| Employee / Position | Entity & Department | Role Type | Reported Salary | Salary Range / Guide | Notes & Responsibilities |
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📚 Official Data Sources & Verification Links
BOE, City Ordinances & APP
📚 Official Data Sources & Verification Links
- Clifton Board of Education Administrator Contracts & Negotiated Agreements ↗ Public employment agreements with Clifton Education Association (CEA) and administrative guides.
- City of Clifton Municipal Salary Ordinances & Union CBAs (PBA Local 36 / FMBA Local 21) ↗ Certified municipal salary step guides approved by City Council ordinance and filed with PERC.
- Asbury Park Press Public Employee Salaries Database (Statewide PERS/PFRS/TPAF) ↗ Searchable statewide database derived from NJ Treasury quarterly pension contribution rolls.
Outside Businesses, Real Estate & Financial Disclosures
Under the New Jersey Local Government Ethics Law (N.J.S.A. 40A:9-22.1) and the School Ethics Act (N.J.S.A. 18A:12-21), elected officials and key administrators must file annual Financial Disclosure Statements (FDS) disclosing outside businesses, secondary earned income, and real estate properties held in New Jersey.
📚 Official Data Sources & Verification Links
State FDS & Treasury Gateway
📚 Official Data Sources & Verification Links
- NJ Department of Community Affairs: Local Government Financial Disclosure Search (fds.nj.gov) ↗ Official state repository of annual disclosures for Mayor, City Council, Planning Board, and City Manager.
- NJ School Ethics Commission: School Official Financial Disclosure Portal ↗ Public disclosure filings for Board of Education Trustees, Superintendent, and Business Administrator.
- NJ Department of the Treasury: Division of Revenue Business Gateway ↗ State corporate and LLC registry verifying active business filings, registered agents, and trade names.
Joined Intelligence & Cross-Dataset Analytics
Connecting Clifton property assessments, municipal and school operating budgets, public employee earnings, and student demographics into 4 actionable investigations.
1. The Clifton Tax 'Grocery Store' Itemized Receipt
Every dollar of your property tax bill is legally earmarked. Enter your home's assessed value (or select a quick preset) to generate an itemized register tape breaking down your exact annual, monthly, and daily costs across 14 municipal, school, and county services.
Assessment Input & Live Calculator
💡 Key Takeaways For This Bill:
📚 Official Data Sources & Verification Links
SFRA, MOD-IV & DLGS
📚 Official Data Sources & Verification Links
- NJ Department of Education: School Funding Reform Act (SFRA) & UFB Database ↗ Certifies Clifton's $108.4M state equalization aid, $22,450 per-pupil spending, and school feeder allocations.
- Passaic County Board of Taxation MOD-IV Property Assessment Roll ↗ Source for residential square footage, year-built housing vintage, and parcel-level assessment ratios.
- NJ DCA Division of Local Government Services (DLGS) Municipal Tax Levy & Payroll Filings ↗ Verifies municipal and school tax rate shares used in the Itemized Tax Receipt and Homes-to-Fund Salary index.
Watchdog Alerts: Potential Fraud, Audits & Ethics Controversies
A transparent breakdown of official state audit citations, ethics commission filings, tax abatement disputes, and personnel controversies involving Clifton leadership and public funds.
📚 Official Data Sources & Verification Links
OSC, SEC & Local Finance Board
📚 Official Data Sources & Verification Links
- Office of the State Comptroller (OSC) Municipal Audit Reports ↗ Official state compliance audits investigating sick leave terminal payouts and union contract caps.
- NJ Department of Education School Ethics Commission (SEC) Decisions ↗ Public conflict of interest rulings and doctrine regarding collective bargaining and familial relationships.
- NJ Department of Community Affairs Local Finance Board ↗ Enforcement of Local Government Ethics Law violations and municipal officer conflict complaints.