Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Norwalk, CA
VS
Salem, OR
🏆 Salem leads 13 of 23 categories
Norwalk
California
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$91,259 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
99 ✓ Safer
Population
101,893
Salem
Oregon
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.4⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$67,540
Violent Crime Index
140⚠ High
Population
175,754 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Norwalk, CA
Pros
30% less violent crime than Salem
Households earn $23,719 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.5 pts lower (5.6%)
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 48°F
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 Salem
Salem, OR
Pros
Homes cost $244k less ($349,500 vs $593,100)
Rent averages $636/mo less ($1,224 vs $1,860)
13% cheaper overall cost of living than Norwalk
Commutes run 7 min shorter each way
More college-educated — 31.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 19.6:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Norwalk by $23,719/yr
Violent crime (532.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2803.3/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Norwalk
Median Income
$23,719
$91,259 vs $67,540/yr
Norwalk
Violent Crime
30% lower
374.4 vs 532.2 per 100k
Norwalk
Unemployment
0.5 pp lower
5.6% vs 6.1% unemployment
Salem
Cost of Living
13% cheaper
COL index 102.4 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Salem
Median Home Value
$244k less
$349,500 vs $593,100
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Norwalk, CA | Salem, OR |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 102.4⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $593,100⚠ High | $349,500⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,860⚠ High | $1,224 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $91,259 ✓ Higher | $67,540 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.1%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.5 min⚠ High | 22.7 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 5.9% | 12.3% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 96 ✓ Safer | 137⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 99 ✓ Safer | 140⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 93 ✓ Safer | 133⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (83) | C+ (89) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 22.8:1 | 19.6:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 20.0% | 31.0% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 76.8% | 88.5% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Norwalk-La Mirada Unified | Salem-Keizer SD 24J |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 68.8°F ✓ Warmer | 48.4°F |
| Avg High — July | 84.4°F ✓ Warmer | 83.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 15.2" ✓ Drier | 46.5" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 1.1" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 101,893 | 175,754 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 35.6 | 35.9 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 67.6% ✓ Higher | 54.9% |
| Under 18 | 22.9% | 23.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 13.5% | 15.3% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Norwalk's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Salem's 102.4 (US average = 100).
Salem is 13% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Salem leads 13 of 23 categories. Norwalk wins 10 and Salem wins 13. 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 Norwalk to Salem or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($593,100 vs $349,500 median home), income ($91,259 vs $67,540), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Norwalk, CA and Salem, OR are about 805 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.