Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Norwalk, CT
VS
St. Paul, MN
🏆 Norwalk leads 13 of 23 categories
Norwalk
Connecticut
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
106.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$97,879 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
22 ✓ Safer
Population
91,050
St. Paul
Minnesota
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
104.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$69,919
Violent Crime Index
163⚠ High
Population
308,806 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Norwalk, CT
Pros
86% less violent crime than St. Paul
Households earn $27,960 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (85.0 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 38°F vs 24°F
Smaller class sizes — 12.5:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $491,800
Higher rents — median is $1,861/mo
Higher unemployment (5.9% vs 5.0%)
Cost of living runs 2% higher than St. Paul
St. Paul, MN
Pros
Homes cost $227k less ($264,900 vs $491,800)
Rent averages $687/mo less ($1,174 vs $1,861)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.9 pts lower (5.0%)
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
2% cheaper overall cost of living than Norwalk
Cons
Median income trails Norwalk by $27,960/yr
Violent crime (617.7/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2834.1/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Snowy winters — about 40" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Norwalk
Median Income
$27,960
$97,879 vs $69,919/yr
Norwalk
Violent Crime
86% lower
85.0 vs 617.7 per 100k
St. Paul
Cost of Living
2% cheaper
COL index 104.5 vs 106.5 (100 = US avg)
St. Paul
Median Home Value
$227k less
$264,900 vs $491,800
St. Paul
Unemployment
0.9 pp lower
5.0% vs 5.9% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Norwalk, CT | St. Paul, MN |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 106.5⚠ High | 104.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $491,800⚠ High | $264,900 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,861⚠ High | $1,174 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $97,879 ✓ Higher | $69,919 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.9%⚠ High | 5.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.3 min | 23.1 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 11.4% | 15.4% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 42 ✓ Safer | 152⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 22 ✓ Safer | 163⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 72 ✓ Safer | 135⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (113) ✓ Better | B+ (104) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.5:1 ✓ Smaller | 14.8:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 42.6% | 42.8% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 88.6% ✓ Higher | 88.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Norwalk School District | Saint Paul Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 38.0°F ✓ Warmer | 23.9°F |
| Avg High — July | 84.8°F ✓ Warmer | 82.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 51.4" | 29.2" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 34.0" ✓ Less | 40.4" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 91,050 | 308,806 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 40.0 ✓ Older | 33.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.8% ✓ Higher | 53.0% |
| Under 18 | 19.4% | 24.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 15.8% ✓ More | 11.8% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Norwalk's cost of living index is 106.5 vs St. Paul's 104.5 (US average = 100).
St. Paul is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Norwalk leads 13 of 23 categories. Norwalk wins 13 and St. Paul wins 10. 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 St. Paul or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($491,800 vs $264,900 median home), income ($97,879 vs $69,919), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Norwalk, CT and St. Paul, MN are about 1,027 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.