Norwalk, IA vs Des Moines, IA

Side-by-side comparison from the latest government data.

MetricNorwalk, IADes Moines, IA
Population14,183212,421
Median Household Income$102,722$65,932
Median Rent$838/mo$1,090/mo
Median Home Value$303,100$194,700
Cost of Living (US = 100)9292
Renters Paying 30%+ of Income34.8%46.6%
Poverty Rate4.2%15%
Unemployment Rate3.2% (county)4.2%
Violent Crime Rate /100k50642
Property Crime Rate /100k2862,838
Median AQI—44
Good AQI Days /yr—224
Summer Highs84°F84°F
Winter Lows17°F17°F
Snowfall37 in/yr37 in/yr
Avg Commute21.6 min19.5 min
Hospitals—4
Avg Hospital Rating—2.8 / 5
Students per Teacher15.815.9
College Degree Rate38.8%29.7%
Foreign-Born %1.4%14.2%
Population Growth (2020–2025)+17.2%-0.9%

Green = clearly better (more than 5% apart). Population, growth, weather, hospital count and foreign-born share aren’t scored.