Gloucester, MA vs Cliffside Park, NJ: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Cliffside Park, NJ has a modeled overall cost index 14.5% lower than Gloucester, MA.

Gloucester, MA · modeled 2BR rent: $2,560 / month
Cliffside Park, NJ · modeled 2BR rent: $2,400 / month

These are saved estimates, not current rental listings. Some cities use adjusted regional data. Your household budget can differ from the overall index. Sources and assumptions

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Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Gloucester, MA and Cliffside Park, NJ using saved regional data and explicit budgeting assumptions. Rent estimates are not live listings. Change the salary below, then check the source notes before applying a result to your household.

Saved regional estimates · Sources and assumptions

Current salary in Gloucester, MA

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $975/month in Cliffside Park, NJ

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $138,298 in Cliffside Park, NJ

Regional cost estimates: Gloucester, MA uses Boston, MA. Cliffside Park, NJ uses Jersey City, NJ. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↓ 14.5%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$975

Savings

Annual Impact

$11.7K

Per year

Assumes 60% of current gross income goes to living costs. The headline uses the category budget below; taxes, moving costs and savings goals are excluded.

Gloucester, MA

Population:30K

Cost Index:

138.4

100 = national average

Typical Home:$735K

Cliffside Park, NJ

Population:26K

Cost Index:

118.4

100 = national average

Typical Home:$626K

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Gloucester, MA

The Bay State

30K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Massachusetts, this city has a population of 30K residents.

Cliffside Park, NJ

The Garden State

26K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in New Jersey, this city has a population of 26K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Gloucester, MA vs Cliffside Park, NJ

Assumes 60% of your current gross income is spent on these categories. The headline and totals use this same budget. Rent estimates below are separate reference data. Rounded amounts may differ by $1.

Category	Gloucester, MA	Cliffside Park, NJ	Difference	Change
Housing	$3,226/mo	$2,317/mo	↓ $909less	28.2%
Other	$1,240/mo	$1,404/mo	↑ $164more	13.2%
Transportation	$1,244/mo	$1,107/mo	↓ $136less	11.0%
All Utilities	$505/mo	$424/mo	↓ $80.65less	16.0%
Healthcare	$524/mo	$490/mo	↓ $34.57less	6.6%
Groceries	$761/mo	$783/mo	↑ $21.69more	2.8%

Housing

↓ 28.2%

Gloucester, MA

$3,226

Cliffside Park, NJ

$2,317

Difference

$909

less

Other

↑ 13.2%

Gloucester, MA

$1,240

Cliffside Park, NJ

$1,404

Difference

$164

Transportation

↓ 11.0%

Gloucester, MA

$1,244

Cliffside Park, NJ

$1,107

Difference

$136

less

All Utilities

↓ 16.0%

Gloucester, MA

$505

Cliffside Park, NJ

$424

Difference

$80.65

less

Healthcare

↓ 6.6%

Gloucester, MA

$524

Cliffside Park, NJ

$490

Difference

$34.57

less

Groceries

↑ 2.8%

Gloucester, MA

$761

Cliffside Park, NJ

$783

Difference

$21.69

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$2,040

To$1,840

↓ $200

1 Bed

From$2,160

To$2,090

↓ $70.00

2 Bed

From$2,560

To$2,400

↓ $160

3 Bed

From$3,080

To$2,930

↓ $150

Gloucester, MAZIP-level data

1BR range: $2,160–$2,160/mo

Cliffside Park, NJZIP-level data

1BR range: $2,090–$2,090/mo

💡 Note: HUD Fair Market Rents estimate 40th-percentile gross rents, including most tenant-paid utilities. City ZIP summaries are medians of those estimates, not market median rents. Actual prices vary by neighborhood, amenities, and condition. Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents FY2026.

$7,500

Monthly in Gloucester, MA

$6,525

Monthly in Cliffside Park, NJ

$975

Difference

Home Values

Gloucester

Cliffside Park

$735K

Median Value

$626K

↑ +3%

YoY Change

↑ +2.5%

↑ +42.7%

5-Year Change

↑ +28%

Homes in Cliffside Park are 15% less expensive than Gloucester

Calculate payment - Gloucester Calculate payment - Cliffside Park

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), January 2026

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↑ $69.50

Per year

Monthly Difference

$5.79

More take-home

Effective Rate Diff

0.0%

Rate difference

Gloucester, MA

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Massachusetts State Tax

Effective: 5.0%

$7.5K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 29.7%

$44.5K

Take-Home Pay

$8,791/month

$105.5K

Cliffside Park, NJ

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

New Jersey State Tax

Effective: 5.0%

$7.4K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 29.6%

$44.4K

Take-Home Pay

$8,796/month

$105.6K

Additional Tax Information

Gloucester, MA Tax Rates

Sales Tax:6.3%

Property Tax:1.2%

Cliffside Park, NJ Tax Rates

Sales Tax:6.6%

Property Tax:2.5%

💡 Note: Tax calculations are estimates based on 2024/2025 tax brackets for single filers with standard deduction. Actual taxes may vary based on filing status, deductions, credits, and local variations.

Environment

Gloucester

Cliffside Park

36 Good

Air Quality

41 Good

79.5%

Good Air Days

71.3%

94 Moderate

Climate Risk

97 High

🌊🌅🌀

Top Hazards

🌊🌅🌡

▲+2.5°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.8°F

6 days

Heat Days >95°F

12 days

▲+2.5°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.8°F

6 days

Heat Days >95°F

12 days

Before moving from Gloucester, MA to Cliffside Park, NJ

Use this comparison to shortlist a move, then check the costs that depend on your household.

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Cliffside Park, NJ for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Gloucester, MA. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
Confirm your income. Check your expected pay with your employer, including any location adjustment. Use “Different salary at destination?” above to compare two incomes. The budget model excludes taxes and one-time moving costs; it is not a take-home-pay calculation.
Price your daily routine. Check the commute from a specific address to work, school or childcare. Add household expenses missing from this model, such as childcare, debt payments and medical needs. Verify local services before signing a lease.
Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Gloucester to Cliffside Park moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Cliffside Park, NJ by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Gloucester, MA vs Cliffside Park, NJ

How do the cost estimates for Gloucester, MA and Cliffside Park, NJ compare?

Cliffside Park, NJ has a modeled overall cost index 14.5% lower than Gloucester, MA. This is a broad model comparison, not a survey of today's prices or a forecast of your household spending. Some cities use adjusted regional fallback data.

What does the equivalent salary mean?

At a $150,000 salary in Gloucester, MA, the model estimates $138,298 in Cliffside Park, NJ. It allocates 60% of gross income to the origin city’s category budget and applies each destination category’s relative cost. The equivalent salary adds the total category difference to your income. The monthly difference is the same category difference divided by 12; it is not take-home pay or guaranteed savings. Household size, childcare and your actual lease are not inputs to this calculation.

What rent estimates are available for Gloucester, MA and Cliffside Park, NJ?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $2,560/month in Gloucester, MA and $2,400/month in Cliffside Park, NJ. Where available, the source is a city median of HUD FY2026 ZIP-level estimates; otherwise a saved metro table is used. City adjustments may also apply. These are not asking rents or available listings. Compare actual properties with the same bedroom count and included utilities.

How should I use this comparison before moving?

Use it to shortlist locations, then replace modeled costs with a current housing quote, employer-confirmed income, commute costs, insurance and your household's other expenses. Add one-time moving costs separately. Source years differ and the saved datasets are not a live price feed. Read the methodology for the formulas and fallback rules.

💰 See how taxes change too — compare take-home pay between Massachusetts and New Jersey on TaxTakeHome.com