Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Lexington-Fayette urban county, KY
VS
Norwalk, CA
🏆 Lexington-Fayette urban county leads 15 of 23 categories
Lexington-Fayette urban county
Kentucky
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.1 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$66,087
Violent Crime Index
69 ✓ Safer
Population
321,276 ✓ Larger
Norwalk
California
8
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.
Lexington-Fayette urban county, KY
Pros
Homes cost $345k less ($247,900 vs $593,100)
Rent averages $795/mo less ($1,065 vs $1,860)
30% less violent crime than Norwalk
22% cheaper overall cost of living than Norwalk
More college-educated — 46.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (262.0 vs 380/100k)
Cons
Median income trails Norwalk by $25,172/yr
Norwalk, CA
Pros
Households earn $25,172 more per year on average
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 42°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $593,100
Higher rents — median is $1,860/mo
Cost of living runs 22% higher than Lexington-Fayette urban county
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Key Differences at a Glance
Lexington-Fayette urban county
Cost of Living
22% cheaper
COL index 93.1 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Lexington-Fayette urban county
Violent Crime
30% lower
262.0 vs 374.4 per 100k
Lexington-Fayette urban county
Median Home Value
$345k less
$247,900 vs $593,100
Lexington-Fayette urban county
Unemployment
0.6 pp lower
5.0% vs 5.6% unemployment
Norwalk
Median Income
$25,172
$91,259 vs $66,087/yr
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Lexington-Fayette urban county, KY | Norwalk, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 93.1 ✓ Cheaper | 115.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $247,900 ✓ Lower | $593,100⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,065 ✓ Lower | $1,860⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $66,087 | $91,259 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 20.8 min ✓ Shorter | 29.5 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 9.6% ✓ Higher | 5.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 85 ✓ Safer | 96 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 69 ✓ Safer | 99 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 108⚠ High | 93 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (114) ✓ Better | C+ (83) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 22.8:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 46.5% ✓ Higher | 20.0% |
| High School or Higher | 92.2% ✓ Higher | 76.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Fayette County | Norwalk-La Mirada Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 42.3°F | 68.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 86.9°F ✓ Warmer | 84.4°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 49.8" | 15.2" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 14.5" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 321,276 ✓ Larger | 101,893 |
| Median Age | 35.2 | 35.6 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.3% | 67.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 20.6% | 22.9% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.2% ✓ More | 13.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Lexington-Fayette urban county's cost of living index is 93.1 vs Norwalk's 115.5 (US average = 100).
Lexington-Fayette urban county is 22% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Lexington-Fayette urban county leads 15 of 23 categories. Lexington-Fayette urban county wins 15 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 Lexington-Fayette urban county to Norwalk or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($247,900 vs $593,100 median home), income ($66,087 vs $91,259), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Lexington-Fayette urban county, KY and Norwalk, CA are about 1,891 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.
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