Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Irvine, CA
VS
Norwalk, CA
🏆 Irvine leads 13 of 21 categories
Irvine
California
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$122,948 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
22 ✓ Safer
Population
304,527 ✓ Larger
Norwalk
California
8
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.
Irvine, CA
Pros
78% less violent crime than Norwalk
More college-educated — 70.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Households earn $31,689 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (84.0 vs 380/100k)
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,025,700
Higher rents — median is $2,749/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Norwalk, CA
Pros
Homes cost $433k less ($593,100 vs $1,025,700)
Rent averages $889/mo less ($1,860 vs $2,749)
Smaller class sizes — 22.8:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Irvine by $31,689/yr
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Longer commutes — 29.5 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
Irvine
Median Income
$31,689
$122,948 vs $91,259/yr
Irvine
Violent Crime
78% lower
84.0 vs 374.4 per 100k
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 115.5 on the COL index
Norwalk
Median Home Value
$433k less
$593,100 vs $1,025,700
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Irvine, CA | Norwalk, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 115.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $1,025,700⚠ High | $593,100⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,749⚠ High | $1,860⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $122,948 ✓ Higher | $91,259 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.3 min ✓ Shorter | 29.5 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 23.1% ✓ Higher | 5.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 40 ✓ Safer | 96 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 22 ✓ Safer | 99 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 66 ✓ Safer | 93 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (107) ✓ Better | C+ (83) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 26.5:1 | 22.8:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.0% ✓ Higher | 20.0% |
| High School or Higher | 96.3% ✓ Higher | 76.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Irvine Unified | Norwalk-La Mirada Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.8°F | 68.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 85.1°F ✓ Warmer | 84.4°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 14.1" ✓ Drier | 15.2" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 304,527 ✓ Larger | 101,893 |
| Median Age | 33.8 | 35.6 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 43.9% | 67.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 21.8% | 22.9% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 10.4% | 13.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Irvine'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, Irvine leads 13 of 21 categories. Irvine wins 13 and Norwalk wins 8. 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 Irvine to Norwalk or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,025,700 vs $593,100 median home), income ($122,948 vs $91,259), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Irvine, CA and Norwalk, CA are about 24 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.