Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Norwalk, CT
VS
Stamford, CT
🏆 Norwalk leads 10 of 19 categories
Norwalk
Connecticut
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
106.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$97,879
Violent Crime Index
22 ✓ Safer
Population
91,050
Stamford
Connecticut
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
106.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$100,718 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
41
Population
135,413 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Norwalk, CT
Pros
46% less violent crime than Stamford
Violent crime is well below the national average (85.0 vs 380/100k)
Homes cost $93k less ($491,800 vs $584,700)
Rent averages $268/mo less ($1,861 vs $2,129)
Cons
Median income trails Stamford by $2,839/yr
Stamford, CT
Pros
Violent crime is well below the national average (157.5 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 50.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Households earn $2,839 more per year on average
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $584,700
Higher rents — median is $2,129/mo
Key Differences at a Glance
Norwalk
Violent Crime
46% lower
85.0 vs 157.5 per 100k
Norwalk
Median Home Value
$93k less
$491,800 vs $584,700
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 106.5 on the COL index
Stamford
Median Income
$2,839
$100,718 vs $97,879/yr
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Norwalk, CT | Stamford, CT |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 106.5⚠ High | 106.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $491,800⚠ High ✓ Lower | $584,700⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,861⚠ High ✓ Lower | $2,129⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $97,879 | $100,718 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.9%⚠ High | 5.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.3 min ✓ Shorter | 27.8 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 11.4% | 14.1% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 42 ✓ Safer | 48 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 22 ✓ Safer | 41 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 72 | 58 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (113) | A (120) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.5:1 | 12.2:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 42.6% | 50.4% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 88.6% ✓ Higher | 88.1% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Norwalk School District | Stamford School District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 38.0°F | 38.0°F |
| Avg High — July | 84.8°F | 84.8°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 51.4" | 50.9" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 34.0" | 34.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 91,050 | 135,413 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 40.0 ✓ Older | 37.6 |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.8% ✓ Higher | 46.0% |
| Under 18 | 19.4% ✓ More | 19.2% |
| Over 65 | 15.8% ✓ More | 15.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Norwalk's cost of living index is 106.5 vs Stamford's 106.5 (US average = 100).
Both have a similar overall cost of living.
Based on the 19 decided categories above, Norwalk leads 10 of 19 categories. Norwalk wins 10 and Stamford 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 Norwalk to Stamford or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($491,800 vs $584,700 median home), income ($97,879 vs $100,718), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Norwalk, CT and Stamford, CT are about 7 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.