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Living in
Norwalk.
About
Life in Norwalk
Living in Norwalk means settling into a solidly middle-class suburb 17 miles southeast of downtown LA where you're part of a tight-knit, family-oriented community that's remarkably diverse—about 72% Latino, plus significant Asian communities (13.7%), with roots especially to Mexico and the Philippines. The median household income sits around $100,085, and housing costs reflect a more affordable slice of LA County, with median home prices around $644,700 and rent averaging $2,090 a month, though that affordability is relative when you're this close to the sprawl. The real trade-off is your commute—expect about 29 minutes on average to get anywhere, and yes, you'll need a car; this is classic LA County sprawl without the dramatic outdoor recreation that justifies it for some people, though you're still within striking distance of the Santa Monica Mountains if you're willing to drive.
Norwalk at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
37.3 yrs
Poverty Rate
9.3%
Foreign-Born
33.2%
Broadband Internet
94.0%
of households
Population Growth
-5.5%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics33.2% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Norwalk: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Norwalk, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (53.4%), and 52.0% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
21.7%
of residents
65 and Older
14.4%
of residents
Households with Kids
40.3%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
15.1%
of households
Married Couples
53.2%
of households
Avg Household Size
3.60
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent about average for CA
Rent, home values, and income in Norwalk
In Norwalk, home values are 12% below the CA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
54.3%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
30.3%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
113.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$4,424
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
68.3%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1957
median year built
Vacant Homes
1.8%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $753,844 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for CA
Unemployment in Norwalk and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Norwalk is close to the CA average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Norwalk Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area
Commute29.5 min avg
How Norwalk residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Norwalk, most residents drive alone to work (75%), and 52% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 7 mi
Long Beach International Airport (LGB)
Small hub1.9M passengers boarded in 2025
- 19 mi
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
Major hub36.5M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyabout average for violent crime
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Norwalk is close to the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
327.1
per 100,000 residents
About average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,590.3
per 100,000 residents
About average (1,552 national, 2025)
Norwalk Police Department
Natural DisastersHigh Wind most common — 21 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Very High
100.0 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Los Angeles County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Los Angeles County, which includes Norwalk, the most common type is high wind, with 21 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 21 | High Wind | $3,000 |
| 2024 | 27 | High Wind | $5,000 |
| 2023 | 21 | High Wind | None reported |
| 2022 | 7 | High Wind | None reported |
| 2021 | 5 | High Wind | None reported |
| 2020 | 4 | High Wind | None reported |
| 2019 | 2 | Wildfire | None reported |
| 2018 | 3 | Debris Flow | None reported |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
152 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Los Angeles County, county-wide
Norwalk is about 1% of Los Angeles County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality74 median AQI — Moderate
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Los Angeles County, which includes Norwalk, is typically moderate — acceptable for most people, but can affect those unusually sensitive to air pollution.
Median AQI
74
Good Days
39
per year
Moderate Days
228
per year
Unhealthy Days
32
per year
Los Angeles County, county-wide
Norwalk is about 1% of Los Angeles County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate83°F summers, 47°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Norwalk has warm summers (avg high 83°F) and warm winters (avg low 47°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
74°/54°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
83°/65°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
80°/58°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
69°/47°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
15.2"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
39
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
0
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
28
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 69°F | 46°F | 2.85" |
| Feb | 69°F | 48°F | 3.02" |
| Mar | 71°F | 52°F | 1.74" |
| Apr | 74°F | 54°F | 0.59" |
| May | 76°F | 58°F | 0.30" |
| Jun | 79°F | 63°F | 0.08" |
| Jul | 84°F | 66°F | 0.02" |
| Aug | 87°F | 66°F | 0.02" |
| Sep | 85°F | 65°F | 0.14" |
| Oct | 80°F | 58°F | 0.50" |
| Nov | 74°F | 51°F | 0.74" |
| Dec | 68°F | 46°F | 1.86" |
Healthcare2 hospitals, avg 1.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Norwalk
Norwalk has 2 hospitals, averaging 1.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — below-average care.
Hospitals
2
within city limits
Uninsured
9.0%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
1.0 / 5
Coast Plaza Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Dept of State Hospitals - Metropolitan - Psy
Psychiatric · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
College Hospital
Psychiatric · 1.9 mi away · Cerritos
Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Downey
Acute Care Hospitals · 2.7 mi away · Downey
Pih Health Downey Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 3.4 mi away · Downey
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education22.6:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Norwalk
Norwalk's student/teacher ratio is 22.6:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 21.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
22
within city limits
Private Schools
4
within city limits
College Degree Rate
21.3%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
22.6:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Norwalk (within 15 miles)
California State University-Fullerton
11.5 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 38,546 students · in-state tuition $7,952 · 80% graduate · median earnings $69,015 (10 yrs after entry)
California State University-Long Beach
8.7 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 35,924 students · in-state tuition $8,338 · 81% graduate · median earnings $69,554 (10 yrs after entry)
University of Southern California
14 mi awayPrivate nonprofit · 4-year · 20,443 students · in-state tuition $75,162 · 93% graduate · median earnings $103,420 (10 yrs after entry)
California State University-Los Angeles
12.1 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 19,562 students · in-state tuition $7,530 · 69% graduate · median earnings $62,555 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 17,121 students · in-state tuition $1,150 · 28% graduate · median earnings $49,216 (10 yrs after entry)
California State University-Dominguez Hills
10.3 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 12,538 students · in-state tuition $7,853 · 68% graduate · median earnings $62,587 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, 42 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Norwalk
Norwalk has 4 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (42 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
42 mi awayJuan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail
National Historic Trail
49 mi awayCésar E. Chávez National Monument
National Monument
95 mi awayCabrillo National Monument
National Monument
98 mi awayPublic Libraries in Norwalk
Alondra Library
11949 Alondra Blvd., Norwalk
Norwalk Library
12350 Imperial Hwy., Norwalk
Cities Near Norwalk
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Norwalk?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Norwalk FAQ
Is Norwalk, California affordable?⌄
Norwalk's median rent is $2,090/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $100,085/year. Median home value is $644,700.
Is Norwalk, California safe?⌄
Norwalk's violent crime rate was 327 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is close to the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1590 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Norwalk, California?⌄
Norwalk has an unemployment rate of 5.5%, which is slightly above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Norwalk, California?⌄
The cost of living in Norwalk is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $2,090/month and median household income is $100,085/year. The median home value is $644,700. About 54% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Norwalk, California?⌄
The average commute in Norwalk is 30 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from