BlockBefore

Clifton, Texas

12 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1888 and the latest in 1985. It stands in the Clifton census division. It lies in ZIP code area 76634. The Survey maps it on the Clifton quadrangle. 3,465 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 673 feet above sea level.

Clifton within Bosque County

On record in Clifton

Buildings and businesses the archive holds for this place. Each opens its own page, with the source record it came from.

On the National Register 12 of 32 shown

Every listing in Bosque County

Population over time

2 figures

Clifton grew from 3,442 to 3,465 between 2010 and 2020. These are the recorded population figures Wikidata holds for this place, reached through the Geographic Names Information System number this page is keyed on rather than by name, so they belong to this place and not to another of the same name. Most are census counts, but not all are: an early figure may be a founding or settlement estimate, and an estimate published within five years of a census is left out. The change column is computed, and is left blank where more than 20 years separate a figure from the one before it, because a gap that long is not a change between two counts.

YearPeople Change
20103,442
20203,465+23 (+1%)

Topographic sheets covering this place

7 surveys from 12 printed sheets

Matched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.

Fires near this place

121 since 2005

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 121 fires within 5 miles of Clifton between 2005 and 2020, burning about 683 acres in total. 2 started naturally. 2 were recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Reported cause Fires
Debris and open burning65
Missing data/not specified/undetermined26
Equipment and vehicle use11
Power generation/transmission/distribution9
Smoking3
Arson/incendiarism2
Recreation and ceremony2
Natural2
Railroad operations and maintenance1

The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
9 September 2017Debris and open burning2.0 acresTexas A & M Forest ServiceRUDY PAUL
9 September 2014Debris and open burning4.0 acresTexas A & M Forest ServiceSAMMY LEACH
9 September 2011Missing data/not specified/undetermined2.0 acresTexas A & M Forest ServiceGRASS
8 September 2011Debris and open burning300 acresTexas A & M Forest ServiceFIRE 219
23 September 2017Equipment and vehicle use1.0 acresTexas A & M Forest ServiceRONNY LAIRDON
21 September 2014Debris and open burning1.0 acresTexas A & M Forest ServiceUNKNOWN
20 September 2015Debris and open burning50 acresTexas A & M Forest ServiceFM 2136
18 September 2013Arson/incendiarism2.0 acresTexas A & M Forest ServiceCHEMICAL LIME PLANT

Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:

Every fire recorded in Bosque County

Storms near this place

51 since 1993

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Clifton in 51 storm reports between 1993 and 2026: 24 hail, 12 thunderstorm wind, 9 flash flood, 4 tornado. No death or injury is recorded in these reports. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
April 2016Flash FloodClifton$500,000The Bosque County emergency manager reported Farm to Market Road 219 at SH 6 was closed due to flash flooding. During the late morning hours, some homes in Clifton had to be evacuated due to rising flood waters.
December 2006Tornado (F2)Clifton$400,000The National Weather Service in Fort Worth conducted a damage survey and concluded a tornado formed east of Clifton. The tornado took a northeast track and went on to damage trees along CR 3355 just south of FM 708. The tornado also heavily damaged a turkey farm at the intersection of CR 3355 and FM 708. Debris from the turkey farm was scattered over a quarter mile northeast of the farm. The tornado continued northeast and heavily damaged two barns on CR 3440 south of the Womack community. Trees and fences were damaged along CR 3410 and CR 3415 just south and east of Womack. The tornado then crossed FM 219 east of Womack and dissipated near the intersection of FM 219 and Highway 22.
November 1996Thunderstorm WindClifton$100,000no account filed
January 2017Tornado (EF1)Clifton$90,000The City of Clifton emergency manager reported a tornado in the city of Clifton. A National Weather Service damage survey crew found evidence consistent with EF-1 type winds. Approximately 40 homes suffered some sort of damage to the home, with two homes with roof damage. Numerous tree, power line, and sign damage was noted in the small and narrow damage path from southwest to northeast.
April 2016Flash FloodClifton$80,000The Bosque County emergency manager reported several cars stalled out in downtown Clifton, due to quickly rising water.
April 2011Thunderstorm WindClifton$50,000A home in Clifton was damaged by a falling tree, and a tree fell against an apartment complex on 5th street. The business sign for Womack Hall on east Hwy 219 was ripped down and tossed several hundred feet. The front plate glass at the Bosque Emporium was blown in. The city park had to be closed due to extensive tree and wind damage to the park. Several trees in the city were uprooted or split in half. Extensive roof damage also occurred to barns at Texas Safari outside of Clifton. Multiple trees and power poles were also downed throughout the county.
September 1994Thunderstorm WindClifton$50,000A camper shell was destroyed and the wooden frame of a barn was blown down by high winds.
October 2015Flash FloodClifton$25,000The intersection of State Highway 6 and FM 219 was flooded in Clifton. By this time, over 7 inches of rain had fallen since the rain began the morning of the 23rd.
April 2008Flash FloodClifton$20,000Floodwaters removed portions of pavement from the road at the intersection of Pecan Street and North Avenue F.
March 2007Flash FloodClifton$20,000Numerous roads were flooded with water as high as two-feet across the county. Highways 6 and 281 were closed, and people were stranded in a car. At least one car was submerged in floodwaters.
March 2007Flash FloodClifton$10,000In Clifton, the intersection of State Highway 6 and FM 219 was under about two feet of water. Near Smith's Bend, FM 2490 was flooded and closed, stranding a state trooper. Numerous motorists were also stranded.
June 2007Flash FloodClifton$10,000Highway 6 was shut down due to flooding between Clifton and Valley Mills. Also, the intersections of CR 3455 and CR 3125, FM 219 at Womack Street, FM 2490 and FM 1637L were flooded. Two high water rescues were required.
December 2006Tornado (F0)Clifton$10,000The National Weather Service in Fort Worth conducted a damage survey and concluded that a weak tornado touched down east-southeast of Clifton. Tree damage and minor roof and window damage was noted along CR 3350 and CR 3355.
April 2009LightningClifton$5,000Lightning struck a two-story house between Clifton and Valley Mills. Insulation in the walls caught on fire and was the only damage reported to the home.
August 2007Thunderstorm WindClifton$5,000Trees were blown down and power was out in the Valley Mills area.
March 2004Thunderstorm WindClifton$5,000Power lines were blown down in Clifton.
July 2018Thunderstorm WindClifton$2,000Emergency management reported tree damage and a garage door blown-in just east of the city of Clifton, TX.
December 2006Tornado (F0)Clifton$2,000The National Weather Sevice in Fort Worth conducted a storm survey and concluded a tornado formed approximately two miles south of the Canyons subdivision on the west shore of Lake Whitney. Only tree damage was found, and the tornado dissipated after traveling less than a mile.
April 2008Thunderstorm WindClifton$1,000A large pecan tree was split at the intersection of Avenue H and Pecan Street.
October 2013Thunderstorm WindClifton$500Three power poles were downed near Clifton High School.
April 2026HailClifton-Facebook photos from a storm chaser showed hail up to quarters 3 miles south of Clifton.
May 2025Flash FloodClifton-Law enforcement reported that water was covering some roads in Clifton.
April 2025HailClifton-Clifton PD reported half dollar size hail in Clifton.
April 2021HailClifton-Dime sized hail reported via mPing.
July 2020FloodClifton-A report of street flooding in Clifton was relayed by broadcast media via social media.
April 2018HailClifton-Emergency Management reported quarter sized hail in the city of Clifton, TX.
April 2018HailClifton-A public report indicated quarter-sized hail approximately 1 mile west of the city of Clifton, TX.
April 2017HailClifton-Clifton Police Department reported golf ball sized hail at the high school in Clifton, TX.
April 2017HailClifton-A public report of quarter-sized hail was received just north of Clifton Middle School.
September 2011Thunderstorm WindClifton-A large tree was blown down along Farm-to-Market Road 1991 east of Clifton.
June 2003Thunderstorm WindClifton-Two large trees were blown down by high winds.
December 2002HailClifton-Hail covered highways caused several vehicles to slide off Highway 6 south of Clifton.
March 1998Flash FloodClifton-The gage on the North Bosque River at Clifton measured the second highest volume of water since records began in 1923. Only minor damage was reported.
January 1995HailClifton-Nickel-size hail covered the ground two inches deep on Highway 6.
June 1995Thunderstorm WindClifton-Highway 174 between Morgan and Meridian was flooded.
April 1993HailClifton-At Clifton, hail covered the ground three inches deep.
February 2024HailClifton-no account filed
March 2021HailClifton-no account filed
November 2004HailClifton-no account filed
February 2003HailClifton-no account filed
April 2002HailClifton-no account filed
March 2001HailClifton-no account filed
March 2000HailClifton-no account filed
May 2000HailClifton-no account filed
May 2000HailClifton-no account filed
May 1999HailClifton-no account filed
January 1998HailClifton-no account filed
May 1998HailClifton-no account filed
January 1995HailClifton-no account filed
October 1993Thunderstorm WindClifton-no account filed
October 1993HailClifton-no account filed

Every storm recorded in Bosque County

Nearest settlements

The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.

Map PlaceDistance Sheets
Pendell5.1 miles12
Bosque5.2 miles12
Norse5.4 miles13
Womack5.7 miles15
Crossroad Store5.8 miles12
Cayote6.4 miles15
Valley Mills10.1 miles16
Meridian10.6 miles13

Elsewhere

Matched on this settlement's Geographic Names Information System number rather than its name, so it cannot be a different place of the same name in another state.

Wikipedia article on CliftonAn encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied.
Wikidata item Q982843The structured record the population and elevation above come from. Public domain (CC0).

Provenance

This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 1332988. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.

Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.

Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.