Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Fishers, IN
VS
Norwalk, CA
🏆 Fishers leads 17 of 22 categories
Fishers
Indiana
17
wins
Cost of Living Index
94.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$126,548 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
19 ✓ Safer
Population
99,041
Norwalk
California
5
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$91,259
Violent Crime Index
99
Population
101,893 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Fishers, IN
Pros
Homes cost $254k less ($339,000 vs $593,100)
81% less violent crime than Norwalk
Households earn $35,289 more per year on average
More college-educated — 65.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.1 pts lower (2.5%)
21% cheaper overall cost of living than Norwalk
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Norwalk, CA
Pros
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 35°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $593,100
Median income trails Fishers by $35,289/yr
Cost of living runs 21% higher than Fishers
Higher rents — median is $1,860/mo
Key Differences at a Glance
Fishers
Cost of Living
21% cheaper
COL index 94.6 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Fishers
Median Income
$35,289
$126,548 vs $91,259/yr
Fishers
Violent Crime
81% lower
72.9 vs 374.4 per 100k
Fishers
Median Home Value
$254k less
$339,000 vs $593,100
Fishers
Unemployment
3.1 pp lower
2.5% vs 5.6% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Fishers, IN | Norwalk, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 94.6 ✓ Cheaper | 115.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $339,000⚠ High ✓ Lower | $593,100⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,478⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,860⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $126,548 ✓ Higher | $91,259 |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.5% ✓ Lower | 5.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.3 min ✓ Shorter | 29.5 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 18.8% ✓ Higher | 5.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 24 ✓ Safer | 96 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 19 ✓ Safer | 99 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 31 ✓ Safer | 93 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (118) ✓ Better | C+ (83) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.5:1 ✓ Smaller | 22.8:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 65.7% ✓ Higher | 20.0% |
| High School or Higher | 98.0% ✓ Higher | 76.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Hamilton Southeastern Schools | Norwalk-La Mirada Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 34.5°F | 68.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 84.4°F | 84.4°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 45.9" | 15.2" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 26.7" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 99,041 | 101,893 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 37.1 ✓ Older | 35.6 |
| Homeownership Rate | 77.1% ✓ Higher | 67.6% |
| Under 18 | 27.4% ✓ More | 22.9% |
| Over 65 | 10.7% | 13.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Fishers's cost of living index is 94.6 vs Norwalk's 115.5 (US average = 100).
Fishers is 21% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Fishers leads 17 of 22 categories. Fishers wins 17 and Norwalk wins 5. 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 Fishers to Norwalk or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($339,000 vs $593,100 median home), income ($126,548 vs $91,259), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Fishers, IN and Norwalk, CA are about 1,812 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.