Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Centennial, CO
VS
Norwalk, CA
🏆 Centennial leads 19 of 23 categories
Centennial
Colorado
19
wins
Cost of Living Index
105.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$124,617 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
45 ✓ Safer
Population
107,702 ✓ Larger
Norwalk
California
4
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$91,259
Violent Crime Index
99
Population
101,893
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Centennial, CO
Pros
54% less violent crime than Norwalk
Households earn $33,358 more per year on average
More college-educated — 61.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.2 pts lower (3.4%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (172.8 vs 380/100k)
10% cheaper overall cost of living than Norwalk
Cons
Snowy winters — about 64" of snow per year
Higher rents — median is $1,949/mo
Norwalk, CA
Pros
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 45°F
Rent averages $89/mo less ($1,860 vs $1,949)
Cons
Median income trails Centennial by $33,358/yr
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Cost of living runs 10% higher than Centennial
Higher unemployment (5.6% vs 3.4%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Centennial
Cost of Living
10% cheaper
COL index 105.5 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Centennial
Median Income
$33,358
$124,617 vs $91,259/yr
Centennial
Violent Crime
54% lower
172.8 vs 374.4 per 100k
Centennial
Unemployment
2.2 pp lower
3.4% vs 5.6% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Centennial, CO | Norwalk, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 105.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 115.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $586,500⚠ High ✓ Lower | $593,100⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,949⚠ High | $1,860⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $124,617 ✓ Higher | $91,259 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.4% ✓ Lower | 5.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.0 min ✓ Shorter | 29.5 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 21.2% ✓ Higher | 5.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 60 ✓ Safer | 96 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 45 ✓ Safer | 99 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 81 ✓ Safer | 93 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (115) ✓ Better | C+ (83) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.2:1 ✓ Smaller | 22.8:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 61.3% ✓ Higher | 20.0% |
| High School or Higher | 97.4% ✓ Higher | 76.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Cherry Creek School District No. 5 in the county of Arapah | Norwalk-La Mirada Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 44.6°F | 68.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 87.3°F ✓ Warmer | 84.4°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 15.0" ✓ Drier | 15.2" |
| Annual Snowfall | 64.0" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 107,702 ✓ Larger | 101,893 |
| Median Age | 41.6 ✓ Older | 35.6 |
| Homeownership Rate | 82.3% ✓ Higher | 67.6% |
| Under 18 | 22.5% | 22.9% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 17.9% ✓ More | 13.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Centennial's cost of living index is 105.5 vs Norwalk's 115.5 (US average = 100).
Centennial is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Centennial leads 19 of 23 categories. Centennial wins 19 and Norwalk wins 4. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Centennial to Norwalk or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($586,500 vs $593,100 median home), income ($124,617 vs $91,259), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Centennial, CO and Norwalk, CA are about 829 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.