Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Los Angeles, CA
VS
Norwalk, CA
🏆 Norwalk leads 11 of 21 categories
Los Angeles
California
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$76,244
Violent Crime Index
192⚠ High
Population
3,881,041 ✓ Larger
Norwalk
California
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$91,259 ✓ Higher
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.
Los Angeles, CA
Pros
More college-educated — 36.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 78°F vs 84°F
Smaller class sizes — 19.2:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $822,600
Violent crime (728.5/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Norwalk by $15,015/yr
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Norwalk, CA
Pros
49% less violent crime than Los Angeles
Homes cost $230k less ($593,100 vs $822,600)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.1 pts lower (5.6%)
Households earn $15,015 more per year on average
Cons
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Key Differences at a Glance
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 115.5 on the COL index
Norwalk
Median Income
$15,015
$91,259 vs $76,244/yr
Norwalk
Violent Crime
49% lower
374.4 vs 728.5 per 100k
Norwalk
Median Home Value
$230k less
$593,100 vs $822,600
Norwalk
Unemployment
2.1 pp lower
5.6% vs 7.7% unemployment
Norwalk
Summer Heat
6.4°F warmer
July avg high 84.4°F vs 78.0°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Los Angeles, CA | Norwalk, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 115.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $822,600⚠ High | $593,100⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,791⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,860⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $76,244 | $91,259 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.7%⚠ High | 5.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 31.3 min⚠ High | 29.5 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 15.1% ✓ Higher | 5.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 143⚠ High | 96 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 192⚠ High | 99 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 71 ✓ Safer | 93 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (93) ✓ Better | C+ (83) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.2:1 ✓ Smaller | 22.8:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 36.7% ✓ Higher | 20.0% |
| High School or Higher | 78.7% ✓ Higher | 76.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Los Angeles Unified | Norwalk-La Mirada Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 66.6°F | 68.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 78.0°F | 84.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 14.1" ✓ Drier | 15.2" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 3,881,041 ✓ Larger | 101,893 |
| Median Age | 36.5 ✓ Older | 35.6 |
| Homeownership Rate | 36.6% | 67.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 19.7% | 22.9% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 13.4% | 13.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Los Angeles'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, Norwalk leads 11 of 21 categories. Los Angeles wins 10 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 Los Angeles to Norwalk or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($822,600 vs $593,100 median home), income ($76,244 vs $91,259), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Los Angeles, CA and Norwalk, CA are about 20 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.