Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Norwalk, CT
VS
Tampa, FL
🏆 Tampa leads 15 of 23 categories
Norwalk
Connecticut
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
106.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$97,879 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
22 ✓ Safer
Population
91,050
Tampa
Florida
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.4⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$66,802
Violent Crime Index
117⚠ High
Population
388,768 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Norwalk, CT
Pros
81% less violent crime than Tampa
Households earn $31,077 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (85.0 vs 380/100k)
Cooler summers — July highs near 85°F vs 91°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 5.2%)
Cost of living runs 3% higher than Tampa
Tampa, FL
Pros
Homes cost $159k less ($333,200 vs $491,800)
Rent averages $439/mo less ($1,422 vs $1,861)
Milder winters — January highs near 71°F vs 38°F
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.7 pts lower (5.2%)
3% cheaper overall cost of living than Norwalk
Cons
Median income trails Norwalk by $31,077/yr
Violent crime (444.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Key Differences at a Glance
Norwalk
Median Income
$31,077
$97,879 vs $66,802/yr
Norwalk
Violent Crime
81% lower
85.0 vs 444.6 per 100k
Tampa
Cost of Living
3% cheaper
COL index 103.4 vs 106.5 (100 = US avg)
Tampa
Median Home Value
$159k less
$333,200 vs $491,800
Tampa
Unemployment
0.7 pp lower
5.2% vs 5.9% unemployment
Tampa
Summer Heat
6.2°F warmer
July avg high 91.0°F vs 84.8°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Norwalk, CT | Tampa, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 106.5⚠ High | 103.4⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $491,800⚠ High | $333,200⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,861⚠ High | $1,422⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $97,879 ✓ Higher | $66,802 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.9%⚠ High | 5.2%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.3 min | 24.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 11.4% | 16.0% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 42 ✓ Safer | 98 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 22 ✓ Safer | 117⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 72 | 70 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (113) ✓ Better | B (103) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.5:1 ✓ Smaller | 19.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 42.6% | 43.3% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 88.6% | 89.0% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Norwalk School District | HILLSBOROUGH |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 38.0°F | 71.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 84.8°F | 91.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 51.4" | 49.5" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 34.0" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 91,050 | 388,768 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 40.0 ✓ Older | 35.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.8% ✓ Higher | 50.5% |
| Under 18 | 19.4% | 20.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 15.8% ✓ More | 13.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Norwalk's cost of living index is 106.5 vs Tampa's 103.4 (US average = 100).
Tampa is 3% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Tampa leads 15 of 23 categories. Norwalk wins 8 and Tampa wins 15. 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 Tampa or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($491,800 vs $333,200 median home), income ($97,879 vs $66,802), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Norwalk, CT and Tampa, FL are about 1,042 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.