Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Fullerton, CA
VS
Norwalk, CA
🏆 Norwalk leads 11 of 19 categories
Fullerton
California
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$99,279 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
120⚠ High
Population
142,280 ✓ Larger
Norwalk
California
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$91,259
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.
Fullerton, CA
Pros
More college-educated — 44.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Households earn $8,020 more per year on average
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $791,000
Violent crime (455.3/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Higher unemployment (6.9% vs 5.6%)
Norwalk, CA
Pros
Homes cost $198k less ($593,100 vs $791,000)
18% less violent crime than Fullerton
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.3 pts lower (5.6%)
Rent averages $129/mo less ($1,860 vs $1,989)
Smaller class sizes — 22.8:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Median income trails Fullerton by $8,020/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Fullerton
Median Income
$8,020
$99,279 vs $91,259/yr
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 115.5 on the COL index
Norwalk
Violent Crime
18% lower
374.4 vs 455.3 per 100k
Norwalk
Median Home Value
$198k less
$593,100 vs $791,000
Norwalk
Unemployment
1.3 pp lower
5.6% vs 6.9% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Fullerton, CA | Norwalk, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 115.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $791,000⚠ High | $593,100⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,989⚠ High | $1,860⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $99,279 ✓ Higher | $91,259 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.9%⚠ High | 5.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 30.0 min⚠ High | 29.5 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 11.3% ✓ Higher | 5.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 110⚠ High | 96 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 120⚠ High | 99 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 96 | 93 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (93) ✓ Better | C+ (83) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 25.3:1 | 22.8:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 44.0% ✓ Higher | 20.0% |
| High School or Higher | 89.7% ✓ Higher | 76.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Fullerton Elementary | Norwalk-La Mirada Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 68.8°F | 68.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 84.4°F | 84.4°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 11.9" ✓ Drier | 15.2" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 142,280 ✓ Larger | 101,893 |
| Median Age | 35.5 | 35.6 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 51.6% | 67.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 22.4% | 22.9% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 13.8% ✓ More | 13.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Fullerton'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 19 decided categories above, Norwalk leads 11 of 19 categories. Fullerton wins 8 and Norwalk wins 11. 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 Fullerton to Norwalk or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($791,000 vs $593,100 median home), income ($99,279 vs $91,259), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Fullerton, CA and Norwalk, CA are about 9 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.