The Town FilesClifton, Texas
City in Bosque County · population 3,465 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $160,000
- Household income
- $64,653
- Jan low / Jul high
- 34° / 95°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 17
- Median age
- 48.8
Clifton is a city of 3,465 people in Bosque County, Texas. The median home is worth $160,000, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). It ranks more of a college town than 99% of Texas towns, hipper than 98% of Texas towns, better for retirees than 96% of Texas towns.
How Clifton ranks
Percentile among Texas towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Texas towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Clifton is worth $160,000, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). Homes cost about 2.5 times the median household income of $64,653, which is more affordable than 66% of Texas towns. Median rent is $1,055 a month. 61.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Clifton | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $160,000 | $184,100 |
| Median rent | $1,055 | $1,086 |
| Median household income | $64,653 | $65,842 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.5× | 2.9× |
| Homeownership | 61.0% | 72.9% |
| Median year built | 1973 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.5% | — |
Who lives in Clifton
| People | Clifton | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 48.8 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 28.7% | 15.6% |
| Under 18 | 23.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.0% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.5% | 13.1% |
| Veterans | 8.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 10.2% | — |
| Work from home | 7.0% | 7.8% |
| Average commute | 16.4 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 85.9% | 89.2% |
Weather in Clifton
July highs average 95.4°F and January lows 34.2°F. About 37.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.1 inches of snow (typical Texas town: 0.2 in). Expect about 115 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 43 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Clifton since 1950, compared with 21 for the typical Texas town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on December 29, 2006 about 4.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 24, 2021.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 32 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on May 25, 1976.
Severe weather in Bosque County since 1996
Bosque County has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 15, 2026 | Fire | FM-5677: Hydra Fire |
| May 17, 2024 | Flood | DR-4781: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| July 7, 2022 | Fire | FM-5443: Hard Castle Fire |
| February 19, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-4586: Severe Winter Storms |
| February 14, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | EM-3554: Severe Winter Storm |
Jobs and pay in Bosque County
Bosque County had 4,077 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,213 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Clifton itself the ACS puts it at 4%.
Public schools in Clifton
3 public schools with 1,025 students, about 11.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| CLIFTON EL | PK-5 | 477 | 11.6 |
| CLIFTON H S | 9-12 | 314 | 11.6 |
| CLIFTON MIDDLE | 6-8 | 234 | 11.7 |
Towns near Clifton
- Gatesville, TX25.6 mi · 16,135 people · home $207,300
- McGregor, TX26.7 mi · 5,321 people · home $221,700
- Waco, TX27.9 mi · 138,486 people · home $221,700
- Woodway, TX28.6 mi · 9,383 people · home $370,500
- West, TX28.8 mi · 2,531 people · home $182,900
Clifton questions
Is Clifton, Texas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Clifton scores better for retirees than 96% of Texas towns and quieter than 31%. 28.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 48.8).
How much does a house cost in Clifton?
The median owner-occupied home in Clifton is valued at $160,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $64,653, so homes cost about 2.5 times income. Median rent is $1,055 a month.
What is the weather like in Clifton?
July highs average 95.4°F and January lows 34.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 37.6 inches of precipitation a year and 0.1 inches of snow.
Does Clifton get tornadoes?
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Clifton since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on December 29, 2006. The typical Texas town has had 21.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)