Should I Move To
Roughly 101,893 people live in Norwalk, California. Living here costs very expensive relative to the rest of the country, 36% above the national average. Median rent runs about $1,860/mo; the typical household pulls in $91,259. On the UrbRank Score it pulls a 45/100 — a D, putting it at #669 nationally.
UrbRank Score · General
Each dimension scored 0-100 against every other US city.
Based on overall cost of living vs. other US cities.
Inverse of violent + property crime rate per 100,000 residents.
Temperate summers & winters, moderate precipitation.
Walk Score — how feasible daily errands are on foot.
Unemployment rate plus household income vs. national median.
Air quality index (EPA AQS data).
Share of residents 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
By the composite index, Norwalk sits at 136 — very expensive when stacked against the rest of the country. Running the rent-to-income math ($1,860/mo against $91,259 median household income), housing eats roughly 24% of a typical paycheck — right inside the standard 30%-of-income guideline. Buying-side, the median home value is $593,100.
Full cost-of-living breakdown →The weather here is mild: roughly 75°F in summer, 50°F in winter. Annual precipitation lands near 12 inches. Walking covers most daily life if you live in a central neighborhood; a car is helpful for longer trips but not essential. On safety, this is a middle-of-the-pack city — neither standout nor concerning. AQI is in the moderate range at about 55.
Verdict by lifestyle profile — same data, different priorities.
For families, Norwalk isn't the strongest match. The profile-weighted score is 36/100 — a F. Its standout dimension is walkability (89/100); the soft spot is environmental quality (6/100).
For retirees, Norwalk isn't the strongest match. The profile-weighted score is 44/100 — a D. Its standout dimension is walkability (89/100); the soft spot is environmental quality (6/100).
For remote workers, Norwalk isn't the strongest match. The profile-weighted score is 35/100 — a F. Its standout dimension is walkability (89/100); the soft spot is environmental quality (6/100).
For young professionals, Norwalk is workable — not standout, not weak. The profile-weighted score is 55/100 — a C. Its standout dimension is walkability (89/100); the soft spot is environmental quality (6/100).
Our overall score for Norwalk is 45/100 — a D, sitting at #669 in the national ranking. It's a weighted average across the seven UrbRank dimensions.
By the composite index, Norwalk sits at 136 — very expensive, 36% above the national average. Median renter pays around $1,860 a month.
Norwalk runs mild on the weather. Summer's near 75°F, winter's near 50°F; 12 inches of precipitation annually.
Walk Score: 89/100. Walking covers most daily life if you live in a central neighborhood; a car is helpful for longer trips but not essential.
Roughly 101,893 people live here, with 20% college-educated (bachelor's or higher) among adults 25+ with a median age of 36.
Drop Norwalk into the comparison tool with any other US city and you'll get housing costs, salaries, demographics, and quality-of-life data lined up side by side. Profile-specific leaderboards (families, retirees, remote workers, young professionals) are linked from the navigation.
Every US city is scored 0-100 on seven dimensions using public data from the US Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, FBI Crime Data Explorer, EPA Air Quality System, NOAA NCEI, and Walk Score. Each dimension is a percentile rank against every other city — so a score of 80 means the city is in the top 20% nationally on that dimension.
The overall score is a weighted average. Five lifestyle profiles — general, families, retirees, remote workers, young professionals — weight the dimensions differently to reflect what each cares about. Families get more weight on safety and schools; young professionals get more weight on jobs and walkability; retirees get more weight on climate.
Compare Norwalk with other California cities scored on UrbRank.
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