Clifton #1

Posted on May 20, 2025 by grim

From US News and World Report:

Best Places to Live in New Jersey in 2025-2026

This entry was posted in Demographics, New Jersey Real Estate, North Jersey Real Estate. Bookmark the permalink.

60 Responses to Clifton #1

  1. hughesrep says:
    May 20, 2025 at 5:59 am

    Vineland #2? Uggh. Have to look at the data, but I assume it’s based on easy accessibility of meth?

  2. grim says:
    May 20, 2025 at 6:49 am

    Feel like those rent numbers are stuck somewhere in the early 2000s.

  3. Fast Eddie says:
    May 20, 2025 at 7:34 am

    Clifton was a best-kept secret for a long time. It has convenience, location, shopping and eateries. And I fell in love with the girl behind the counter at punk bagel. As for Vineland, I agree; not sure what the upside is there. I also remember going to Bridgeton (near Vineland) to train users on software and it was rather gloomy and isolated. All the other towns listed have enough upside to warrant a shout out.

  4. 3b says:
    May 20, 2025 at 8:32 am

    No Bergen Co towns made the list? I will have to take a drive around Clifton, have not been there in years. I thought at one point it was declining.

  5. Lorax says:
    May 20, 2025 at 8:44 am

    New Jersey and “Best Places” are an oxymoron

  6. Chicago says:
    May 20, 2025 at 9:10 am

    Did you look at the towns on that list? Utterly brutal. Basically it is all the sinkhole urban areas that are cheap, and cheap for a reason. When I say the list is brutal, I am underselling it. Absolute worst of the worst.

  7. Dark Phoenix says:
    May 20, 2025 at 9:15 am

    Dave Portnoy must have made this list.

  8. Libturd says:
    May 20, 2025 at 9:19 am

    I think what makes Clifton unique, besides the cultural diversity, is the housing diversity. There is so much variety in one place. I really can’t think of another town like it. Plus more transportation options than anywhere too. For example, you have two NJ transit stations on two different lines (Clifton/Athenia and Delawanna). Then there’s the Allwood Park & Ride with a pretty quick bus ride into the Port Authority.

    It’s been a while since I lived there, but I doubt the community changed that much. Here are the different communities that I recall.

    Clifton Ave. (Allwood to Van Houten) is where the old white people live.

    Montclair Heights (Grove Street to Van Houten) is probably the most rural (relatively speaking) where the elementary school is excellent and the people have money. Also pretty white and home of the wacky dentist who decorates his property with disturbingly dressed mannequins regardless of the holiday.

    Athenia (Mt. Prospect Ave to Clifton Ave, NE of Van Houten) – Where I lived and home of the Punk Rock Bagel. Very blue-collar and middle aged. Little hip places open and close there. Really, the best value area, in my opinion. Shoprite and the main train station is nestled in here too.

    Main Ave is North and East of Athenia and this is where it get’s much more urban as it borders on Paterson and Passaic. So you have lots of Persians/Muslims, Latinos, even Hasidic. It’s a lot like Brooklyn here where the neighborhoods change culturally every ten blocks or so. This is where the good restaurants are. Especially Middle Eastern, but there are some good Mexican and Peruvian and Italian joints mixed in here as well. It’s a real city down Main Ave. with every kind of housing you can think of and all of the parking problems. I always found the corner of Main Ave and Piaget the most interesting four corners. There was a high end red sauce joint (now a high end middle eastern restaurant), a White Castle, a shitty pizza joint, a middle eastern grocery and a car rental. The library is just adjacent.

    I’ve still been told that the high school and the secondary schools are still not usable.

  9. BRT says:
    May 20, 2025 at 9:26 am

    I only go there for Rutt’s Hut

  10. Libturd says:
    May 20, 2025 at 9:29 am

    I’ve had it and don’t particularly get it. White Mana too. Both are fine, but I can make a much better dog and burger at home for much, much less. And I like my dogs cooked to nearly a crisp.

  11. Libturd says:
    May 20, 2025 at 9:32 am

    I’ve been to Vineland too. And yes, there is a bit of a hipster gentrification going on. But, come on. It’s in the middle of nowhere and it’s a characterless city. It reminds me a lot of Plainfield.

    Jersey City is becoming very cool.

  12. Fast Eddie says:
    May 20, 2025 at 9:41 am

    3b,

    Not even no Hackensack?

    Come on!

  13. No One says:
    May 20, 2025 at 9:49 am

    Plainfield is characterless? It has a lot of character. Last I checked it was a former ghetto of black welfare moms being gentrified by the new majority of latin laborers moving in doing mostly landscaping and construction. With a few whites living at the borders of the town, old people who couldn’t move, or maybe some 180lb white women in the hood. It may be a good place to get some Mexican food while you’re stopping by the Social Security office.
    Twin city to Newark?
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1967_Plainfield_riots

  14. BRT says:
    May 20, 2025 at 9:54 am

    I’ve had it and don’t particularly get it. White Mana too. Both are fine, but I can make a much better dog and burger at home for much, much less. And I like my dogs cooked to nearly a crisp.

    Lib, you gotta know the system there. Personally, I go Weller with the relish. Cremator is fried like a Chicaronne.

    Inner/Outer: Rare
    Ripper: Medium
    Weller: Well Done
    Cremator: Fried Crispy Hot Dog

  15. BRT says:
    May 20, 2025 at 9:56 am

    I grew up on White Manna, but I can make a better burger than them as well. But the thing is, the product is, a fantastic burger on a cheap price. I can’t make a better dog than Rutt’s IMO. I do buy a pint of relish and freeze it in small containers when I’m there.

  16. No One says:
    May 20, 2025 at 10:02 am

    Imagine someone who has never been to NJ just accepted a job and are moving in to the state and used this “Best Places to Live in NJ” taking your wife and kids from one town to the next, searching for houses, and then deciding to commit murder/suicide, because you believed US News and World Report that if these were the best places to live in NJ, then you’ve just lost the will to live in NJ. “Honey, US News said that East Orange is the 9th best place to live in all of NJ, and Camden is the 13th best place to live, everywhere else in NJ is going to be worse than this, I can’t put the kids through this living hell”. Puts their “Best Colleges” list in perspective.

  17. Fast Eddie says:
    May 20, 2025 at 10:04 am

    After Rutt’s Hutt, go to Silk City for a few. Or is it the other way around? lol.

  18. No One says:
    May 20, 2025 at 10:09 am

    I went to White Manna once. Waited a long time and was seriously underwhelmed with the burgers. Not bad, just not something to get excited about. Had the same feeling when I got a sub from Tastee Sub Shop in Edison. Got the same “super sub” that he ordered.
    https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/photos-and-video/photos/president-barack-obama-visits-edison-nj

  19. Libturd says:
    May 20, 2025 at 10:12 am

    I know the system. I guess being raised on all beef Hebrew National and Sabrett’s, it’s hard to eat dogs made out of random cow and pig parts. I know I’m in the minority here. Plus, I’m a golden brown and warmed kraut guy. Relish is too sweet for me. Don’t like it on burgers either. But definitely like a great pickle on a burger.

    Down in Highland Park, there is The System (White Rose) which was a Mana copycat. Yeah, those places were great when you were drunk and broke. But I just don’t get the hipster pilgrimage to them. There’s a place by me called Jimmy Buff’s, by the Star Tavern in West Orange which I find uniquely amazing. Though it’s so bad for you and so greasy that I’ve only gone twice. Dirt cheap when they run their specials. Italian hot dogs/Sauasage combos.

    https://www.jimmybuffs.com/display.php?page=home

  20. Fast Eddie says:
    May 20, 2025 at 10:15 am

    Jimmy Buff’s has been there forever.

    As is the White Mana on Tonnelle and Manhattan Avenue in Jersey City.

  21. 3b says:
    May 20, 2025 at 10:21 am

    Fast: Hackensack, Hoboken north!

  22. Libturd says:
    May 20, 2025 at 10:22 am

    Tastee Sub was amazing until about 2000. Don’t know of any amazing sub shops anymore. They all seem to have been replaced by fancy sandwich joints.

    Growing up, there was a place that was open from 11am to 3pm M-F in South River called The Town. As simple as can be. They had maybe 8 different sandwiches. Just amazing bread, crispy thin shredded lettuce, fantastic tomatoes and onions with bite. No mustard, mayo or ketchup here. Only oil and red wine vinegar, oregano and salt and pepper. I don’t even think the meat was all that high quality. But when the veggies are that fresh and the rolls are that good, it didn’t matter. There were only two people who worked there and the whole place couldn’t been more than 100 square feet. They sold bottled drinks and small bags of plain Lays chips too. They did slice the meat when the sub was ordered at least. Line would be out the door at all times. No phone either. The husband and wife who ran it made a pretty good living working about 6 hours a day. Cash only of course. I was surprised to see it closed when I went looking for it a few years ago. They probably are in Florida now. I always considered opening a place like that when I was semi-retired. It’s the kind of place where they really got to know you. And never had a sub even close. Tastee was very good, but not great. I heard they have new owners that are really cheap. Same thing happened to White House Subs in AC. They completely killed it. You know, the more I think about it, the Super Special at White House was up there with Town. Not any more.

  23. RentL0rd says:
    May 20, 2025 at 10:27 am

    Can someone tell me what we achieved in the Russian invasion of Ukraine?

    I mean other than driving traffic to TruthSocial and X with clickbait.

  24. RentL0rd says:
    May 20, 2025 at 10:30 am

    Lib, you should try the Costco hot dog – not sure if it is Kosher. But hey, with a large drink for $1.99 – it tastes better than anything after piling up your cart with junk.

  25. Libturd says:
    May 20, 2025 at 10:45 am

    I’ve had the Costco Dog. It tastes like value now. Used to be a Hebrew National, but to keep it the same price with inflation, they moved to a cheaper dog. I gave up soda ages ago.

  26. BRT says:
    May 20, 2025 at 11:27 am

    Jimmy Buff’s is good. I like Tommy’s Italian Sausage in Elizabeth the best on that style of dog. White Rose burgers are ok, but their fries are awesome. White Diamond in Clark is pointless.

    Tastee was good. We actually had their 3rd location in Lawrence but it just shut down recently. It was a shadow of its former self. Denaro’s in Dumont is a great little classic sub shop that will bring you back to your childhood. In Belmar, you can go to Mike’s Giant Subs (it’s basically what Jersey Mikes originally was) I think they broke off and kept the Mike’s logo back in the day.

  27. Fast Eddie says:
    May 20, 2025 at 11:43 am

    Del Ponte’s Bakery in Bradley Beach – Biscotti to die for.

    They have about 30 different varieties. The whole place is awesome.

  28. BRT says:
    May 20, 2025 at 11:49 am

    Eddie, good pizza there too.

    Btw, if you guys are looking for that classic sub sandwich, South Philly deli’s are where it’s at.

  29. Libturd says:
    May 20, 2025 at 11:58 am

    BRT,

    You got that right! If it’s on a sub roll, Philly is the shiznit.

  30. Lorax says:
    May 20, 2025 at 12:01 pm

    You would be amazed at how difficult it is to find decent pizza and bagels in California

  31. Lorax says:
    May 20, 2025 at 12:02 pm

    How long until people wake up and realize how fucked we all are under Trump??

  32. Fast Eddie says:
    May 20, 2025 at 12:24 pm

    BRT,

    Vic’s for thin crust pizza, two blocks from Del Ponte’s.

    Get the antipasto salad, too.

  33. BRT says:
    May 20, 2025 at 12:32 pm

    Yes, Vic’s thin crust is great as well. My friend’s mom still waitresses there.

  34. Lorax says:
    May 20, 2025 at 12:41 pm

    Star Pizza, Orange…FTW

  35. Very Stable Genius says:
    May 20, 2025 at 12:46 pm

    oligarchs are doing great and their taxes are going down. 400 million bribe here, 400 million bribe overthere

    Boomer is glued to FOX News harder than ever

    alls good

    Lorax says:
    May 20, 2025 at 12:02 pm
    How long until people wake up and realize how fucked we all are under Trump??

  36. Lorax says:
    May 20, 2025 at 12:46 pm

    Next up !! A flight from US stocks….?

  38. No One says:
    May 20, 2025 at 1:08 pm

    I see Trump is bullying the libertarian wing of the Republican party most of all. He hates people with principles the most, as an affront to his entire life.

  39. Libturd says:
    May 20, 2025 at 1:30 pm

    So000, how did those peace talks go? How’s that peace through strength thing working for Donny?

    https://makeagif.com/i/IkvdLh

  40. Lorax says:
    May 20, 2025 at 2:39 pm

    Trump has been successful in convincing his minions, hopefully a shrinking crowd, that it was Ukraine who started the war.

  41. Juice Box says:
    May 20, 2025 at 3:13 pm

    Lorax – You are correct Ukraine did not start the war, we did. Did you not know about the 12 secret US bases setup by our CIA as “forward operating bases” along Ukraine’s border with Russia?

    https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/25/world/europe/cia-ukraine-intelligence-russia-war.html

  42. Lorax says:
    May 20, 2025 at 3:32 pm

    OOF. that’s a bummer….man

  43. 3b says:
    May 20, 2025 at 4:14 pm

    Juice: I think that although Putin may have used that as justification for his invasion of Ukraine, he would have invaded any way. In his mind Ukraine has no basis to exist and Ukranians are Russians who forgot they are Russians, same thing with Belarus, and Belarussians.

  44. 3b says:
    May 20, 2025 at 4:18 pm

    The principal and Vic principal of the elementary school in prestigious Glen Ridge have been put on indefinite leave, after being accused of covering up sex abuse for a teacher who has been with the school for over 20 years.

  45. Dark Phoenix says:
    May 20, 2025 at 5:28 pm

    Soon it will be an ASCII dog.

    Libturd says:
    May 20, 2025 at 10:45 am
    I’ve had the Costco Dog. It tastes like value now. Used to be a Hebrew National, but to keep it the same price with inflation, they moved to a cheaper dog. I gave up soda ages ago.

  46. Dark Phoenix says:
    May 20, 2025 at 5:35 pm

    He can get a job as a Catholic Priest

    3b says:
    May 20, 2025 at 4:18 pm
    The principal and Vic principal of the elementary school in prestigious Glen Ridge have been put on indefinite leave, after being accused of covering up sex abuse for a teacher who has been with the school for over 20 years.

  47. 3b says:
    May 20, 2025 at 5:41 pm

    Dark: What is ASCI?

  48. 3b says:
    May 20, 2025 at 5:42 pm

    Dark: Seems to be a lot of teachers doing it, and now women teachers too!

  50. OC1 says:
    May 20, 2025 at 6:42 pm

    Lorax – You are correct Ukraine did not start the war, we did.

    Nonsense.

  51. SmallGovConservative says:
    May 20, 2025 at 6:42 pm

    Lorax says:
    May 20, 2025 at 12:02 pm
    “How long until people wake up and realize…”

    Don’t you dopes ever get tired of whining? Did you see Bill’s face as he listened to Shrillary — the standard bearer for ugly Dem women everywhere — drone on about how much she hates Rep women; that’s what it’s like listening to you bitter beta’s. If only you knew how stupid you sound trying to convince normal men that the party of Jasmine Crockett and Lamonica McIver is the place to be — although to be honest, I wouldn’t mind seeing McIver on Rutgers offensive line when she gets out of the slammer.

  52. LorAX says:
    May 20, 2025 at 6:49 pm

    I can’t even read your posts or listen to the imbecile you helped elect.
    You deserve whatever fate befalls you. 8 inch pencil peeen.

  53. RentL0rd says:
    May 20, 2025 at 7:29 pm

    So, if you are not whining about the $175Billion going to be spent in 3 years for a “golden dome” to protect us from some alien invasion… you are a moron.

    All this, while our prices are going up significantly and our kids cannot find affordable housing.

    So much winning.

  54. SmallGovConservative says:
    May 20, 2025 at 7:37 pm

    LorAX says:
    May 20, 2025 at 6:49 pm
    “…the imbecile you helped elect.”

    Says the guy that voted for SlowJoe Biden! What a delusional dingbat!

    RentL0rd says:
    May 20, 2025 at 7:29 pm
    “while our prices are going up significantly”

    ‘Gas prices are set for their cheapest Memorial Day since 2021’ – https://www.cnn.com/2025/05/20/business/gas-prices-memorial-day-trump-inflation

  55. Lorax says:
    May 20, 2025 at 8:02 pm

    Please. We are so screwed right now.
    To cheerlead this dude is farcical.

    Recession dead ahead. We just got downgraded by Moodys.

  57. Grim says:
    May 20, 2025 at 10:03 pm

    Headed to obx this weekend, any tips?

  58. Libturd says:
    May 20, 2025 at 11:38 pm

    Learn how to properly pronounce Corolla. Stop at the weeping radish on the mainland, as well as the barbecue joint that’s near it. I think it’s Currituck Bbq.

  59. Chicago says:
    May 20, 2025 at 11:42 pm

    Emily Winston. Cornell grad. We grabbed coffee in Red Bank about 16-17 years ago.
    Moved west and followed a vision.

    Lorax says:
    May 20, 2025 at 12:01 pm
    You would be amazed at how difficult it is to find decent pizza and bagels in California

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