Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Norwalk, CT
VS
Yakima, WA
🏆 Norwalk leads 12 of 22 categories
Norwalk
Connecticut
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
106.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$97,879 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
22 ✓ Safer
Population
91,050
Yakima
Washington
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
101.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$55,734
Violent Crime Index
143⚠ High
Population
96,764 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Norwalk, CT
Pros
Households earn $42,145 more per year on average
84% less violent crime than Yakima
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.2 pts lower (5.9%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (85.0 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 42.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 12.5:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $491,800
Higher rents — median is $1,861/mo
Cost of living runs 5% higher than Yakima
Yakima, WA
Pros
Homes cost $249k less ($243,300 vs $491,800)
Rent averages $847/mo less ($1,014 vs $1,861)
Commutes run 9 min shorter each way
5% cheaper overall cost of living than Norwalk
Cons
Median income trails Norwalk by $42,145/yr
Violent crime (544.3/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher unemployment (8.1% vs 5.9%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Norwalk
Median Income
$42,145
$97,879 vs $55,734/yr
Norwalk
Violent Crime
84% lower
85.0 vs 544.3 per 100k
Norwalk
Unemployment
2.2 pp lower
5.9% vs 8.1% unemployment
Yakima
Cost of Living
5% cheaper
COL index 101.6 vs 106.5 (100 = US avg)
Yakima
Median Home Value
$249k less
$243,300 vs $491,800
Yakima
Summer Heat
3.5°F warmer
July avg high 88.3°F vs 84.8°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Norwalk, CT | Yakima, WA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 106.5⚠ High | 101.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $491,800⚠ High | $243,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,861⚠ High | $1,014 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $97,879 ✓ Higher | $55,734 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.9%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 8.1%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.3 min | 17.9 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 11.4% ✓ Higher | 5.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 42 ✓ Safer | 125⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 22 ✓ Safer | 143⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 72 ✓ Safer | 97 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (113) ✓ Better | C (79) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.5:1 ✓ Smaller | 17.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 42.6% ✓ Higher | 19.3% |
| High School or Higher | 88.6% ✓ Higher | 77.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Norwalk School District | Yakima School District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 38.0°F | 39.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 84.8°F | 88.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 51.4" | 8.6" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 34.0" | 20.3" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 91,050 | 96,764 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 40.0 ✓ Older | 33.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.8% ✓ Higher | 53.1% |
| Under 18 | 19.4% | 27.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 15.8% | 15.8% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Norwalk's cost of living index is 106.5 vs Yakima's 101.6 (US average = 100).
Yakima is 5% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Norwalk leads 12 of 22 categories. Norwalk wins 12 and Yakima 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 Yakima or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($491,800 vs $243,300 median home), income ($97,879 vs $55,734), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Norwalk, CT and Yakima, WA are about 2,343 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.