Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Joliet, IL
VS
Norwalk, CA
🏆 Joliet leads 14 of 23 categories
Joliet
Illinois
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$84,971
Violent Crime Index
92 ✓ Safer
Population
150,221 ✓ Larger
Norwalk
California
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$91,259 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
99
Population
101,893
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Joliet, IL
Pros
Homes cost $359k less ($233,800 vs $593,100)
Rent averages $686/mo less ($1,174 vs $1,860)
13% cheaper overall cost of living than Norwalk
More college-educated — 24.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 14.2:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Norwalk by $6,288/yr
Norwalk, CA
Pros
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 31°F
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.6 pts lower (5.6%)
Households earn $6,288 more per year on average
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $593,100
Higher rents — median is $1,860/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Cost of living runs 13% higher than Joliet
Key Differences at a Glance
Joliet
Cost of Living
13% cheaper
COL index 102.6 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Joliet
Violent Crime
7% lower
350.0 vs 374.4 per 100k
Joliet
Median Home Value
$359k less
$233,800 vs $593,100
Norwalk
Median Income
$6,288
$91,259 vs $84,971/yr
Norwalk
Unemployment
0.6 pp lower
5.6% vs 6.2% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Joliet, IL | Norwalk, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 115.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $233,800 ✓ Lower | $593,100⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,174 ✓ Lower | $1,860⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $84,971 | $91,259 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.2%⚠ High | 5.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.6 min⚠ High | 29.5 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 6.6% ✓ Higher | 5.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 79 ✓ Safer | 96 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 92 ✓ Safer | 99 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 59 ✓ Safer | 93 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (93) ✓ Better | C+ (83) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.2:1 ✓ Smaller | 22.8:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 24.9% ✓ Higher | 20.0% |
| High School or Higher | 84.8% ✓ Higher | 76.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Joliet PSD 86 | Norwalk-La Mirada Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 31.1°F | 68.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 83.6°F | 84.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.2" | 15.2" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 16.9" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 150,221 ✓ Larger | 101,893 |
| Median Age | 34.3 | 35.6 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 72.4% ✓ Higher | 67.6% |
| Under 18 | 26.5% ✓ More | 22.9% |
| Over 65 | 10.2% | 13.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Joliet's cost of living index is 102.6 vs Norwalk's 115.5 (US average = 100).
Joliet is 13% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Joliet leads 14 of 23 categories. Joliet wins 14 and Norwalk wins 9. 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 Joliet to Norwalk or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($233,800 vs $593,100 median home), income ($84,971 vs $91,259), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Joliet, IL and Norwalk, CA are about 1,709 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.