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Living in
Norwalk.
About
Life in Norwalk
Living in Norwalk means settling into a genuinely affordable small city where your dollar stretches further than in most of Ohio—median home values around $163,000 and rent under $850 make homeownership realistic for working families, and that matters when you're building a life here. The community here skews slightly older (median age 40) and is predominantly working-class white, with a growing Latino community that's bringing new energy to neighborhoods and local businesses—this is a place where people actually know their neighbors and stay put rather than constantly churn through. The weather here follows classic Ohio patterns—cold, snowy winters and humid summers—which is something to genuinely consider if you prefer milder climates, though the four distinct seasons appeal to plenty of people.
Norwalk at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
39.5 yrs
Poverty Rate
16.3%
Foreign-Born
2.0%
Broadband Internet
90.9%
of households
Population Growth
+0.8%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics2.0% 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 (77.1%), and 3.8% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
24.0%
of residents
65 and Older
18.1%
of residents
Households with Kids
27.9%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
38.6%
of households
Married Couples
37.4%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.26
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 19% below OH average
Rent, home values, and income in Norwalk
In Norwalk, rent runs 19% below the OH average, and home values are 24% below the OH average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
41.8%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
21.6%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$1,773
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
65.1%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1968
median year built
Vacant Homes
5.9%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $214,844 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 1.1 pts above OH average
Unemployment in Norwalk
Unemployment in Huron County, which includes Norwalk, is 1.1 percentage points higher than the OH average.
Unemployment rate
Norwalk: Huron County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Huron County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Norwalk Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute21.1 min avg
How Norwalk residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Norwalk, most residents drive alone to work (80%), and 75% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 41 mi
Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE)
Medium hub4.9M passengers boarded in 2025
- 77 mi
Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW)
Major hub16.3M 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.
Safetyviolent crime 79% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Norwalk runs 79% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
69.7
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
435.9
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Norwalk Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 5 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
50.3 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Huron County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Huron County, which includes Norwalk, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 5 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 5 | Thunderstorm Wind | $43,000 |
| 2024 | 10 | Thunderstorm Wind | $16,000 |
| 2023 | 11 | Thunderstorm Wind | $545,000 |
| 2022 | 9 | Thunderstorm Wind | $186,100 |
| 2021 | 3 | Winter Storm | None reported |
| 2020 | 9 | Thunderstorm Wind | $35,300 |
| 2019 | 11 | Thunderstorm Wind | $712,000 |
| 2018 | 2 | Heavy Snow | $50,000 |
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.
4 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Huron County, county-wide
Air Quality39 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Lorain County, OH (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 26 miles from Norwalk) is typically good — 207 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
39
Good Days
207
per year
Moderate Days
29
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Lorain County, OH (26 mi away)
Climate81°F summers, 22°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Norwalk has warm summers (avg high 81°F) and cold winters (avg low 22°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
58°/39°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
81°/62°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
63°/44°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
36°/22°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
40.1"
Annual Snowfall
32.7"
Hot Days/Year
15
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
123
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
138
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 33°F | 19°F | 2.68" |
| Feb | 36°F | 20°F | 2.31" |
| Mar | 46°F | 28°F | 2.90" |
| Apr | 59°F | 38°F | 3.95" |
| May | 70°F | 50°F | 3.91" |
| Jun | 79°F | 60°F | 4.31" |
| Jul | 83°F | 64°F | 4.19" |
| Aug | 81°F | 62°F | 3.54" |
| Sep | 76°F | 55°F | 3.55" |
| Oct | 63°F | 43°F | 3.34" |
| Nov | 50°F | 34°F | 2.83" |
| Dec | 39°F | 25°F | 2.57" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 4.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Norwalk
Norwalk has 1 hospital, averaging 4.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — above-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
4.4%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
4.0 / 5
Fisher-titus Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Bellevue Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · 14.4 mi away · Bellevue
Firelands Regional Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 14.9 mi away · Sandusky
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.
Education17.6:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Norwalk
Norwalk's student/teacher ratio is 17.6:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 19.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
6
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
19.4%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
17.6:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Parks & Recreationclosest: Perry's Victory & International Peace Memorial, 30 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Norwalk
Norwalk has 5 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Perry's Victory & International Peace Memorial (30 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Perry's Victory & International Peace Memorial
Memorial
30 mi awayCuyahoga Valley National Park
National Park
54 mi awayRiver Raisin National Battlefield Park
National Battlefield Park
61 mi awayFirst Ladies National Historic Site
National Historic Site
71 mi awayJames A Garfield National Historic Site
National Historic Site
71 mi awayPublic Libraries in Norwalk
Norwalk Public Library
46 W. Main St., 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, Ohio affordable?⌄
Norwalk's median rent is $836/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $60,844/year. Median home value is $163,300.
Is Norwalk, Ohio safe?⌄
Norwalk's violent crime rate was 70 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 436 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Norwalk, Ohio?⌄
Huron County, which includes Norwalk, has an unemployment rate of 5.7%, which is slightly above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Norwalk, Ohio?⌄
The cost of living in Norwalk is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $836/month and median household income is $60,844/year. The median home value is $163,300. About 42% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Norwalk, Ohio?⌄
The average commute in Norwalk is 21 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