Head-to-Head · City Comparison
El Monte, CA
VS
Norwalk, CA
🏆 Norwalk leads 14 of 21 categories
El Monte
California
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$59,929
Violent Crime Index
111⚠ High
Population
108,682 ✓ Larger
Norwalk
California
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$91,259 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
99 ✓ Safer
Population
101,893
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
El Monte, CA
Pros
Rent averages $255/mo less ($1,605 vs $1,860)
Smaller class sizes — 19.2:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Norwalk by $31,330/yr
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Higher unemployment (7.0% vs 5.6%)
Norwalk, CA
Pros
Households earn $31,330 more per year on average
12% less violent crime than El Monte
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.4 pts lower (5.6%)
More college-educated — 20.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Higher rents — median is $1,860/mo
Key Differences at a Glance
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 115.5 on the COL index
Norwalk
Median Income
$31,330
$91,259 vs $59,929/yr
Norwalk
Violent Crime
12% lower
374.4 vs 423.2 per 100k
Norwalk
Unemployment
1.4 pp lower
5.6% vs 7.0% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | El Monte, CA | Norwalk, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 115.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $597,200⚠ High | $593,100⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,605⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,860⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $59,929 | $91,259 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.0%⚠ High | 5.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.3 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter | 29.5 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 4.9% | 5.9% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 106⚠ High | 96 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 111⚠ High | 99 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 98 | 93 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C- (66) | C+ (83) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.2:1 ✓ Smaller | 22.8:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 13.7% | 20.0% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 63.9% | 76.8% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Mountain View Elementary | Norwalk-La Mirada Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 68.6°F | 68.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 85.5°F ✓ Warmer | 84.4°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 15.7" | 15.2" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 108,682 ✓ Larger | 101,893 |
| Median Age | 37.4 ✓ Older | 35.6 |
| Homeownership Rate | 39.6% | 67.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 22.4% | 22.9% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.6% ✓ More | 13.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
El Monte's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Norwalk's 115.5 (US average = 100).
Both have a similar overall cost of living.
Based on the 21 decided categories above, Norwalk leads 14 of 21 categories. El Monte wins 7 and Norwalk wins 14. 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 El Monte to Norwalk or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($597,200 vs $593,100 median home), income ($59,929 vs $91,259), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
El Monte, CA and Norwalk, CA are about 12 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.