Carson and Norwalk receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Carson
Norwalk
Opportunity
39 · Bottom 17%
vs38 · Bottom 14%
Growth
16 · Bottom 5%
vs22 · Bottom 9%
Climate
100 · Top 4%
vs100 · Top 4%
Physical resilience
11 · Bottom 4%
vs11 · Bottom 4%
Housing affordability
61 · Bottom 22%
vs53 · Bottom 13%
Access
99 · Top 8%
vs100 · Top 3%
Economic stability
61 · Top 49%
vs66 · Top 38%
Measured values
| Metric | Carson | Norwalk | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 92,871 | 99,789 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $108,703 | $100,085 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $40,282 | $33,409 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,958/sq mi | 10,280/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $704,400 | $644,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,956 | $2,090 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 74.0% | 68.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.4% | 5.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.6% | -1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29.3% | 21.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.7% | 9.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 18 | 43 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.2 | 0.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -18.2% | -80.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 77°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 47°F | 46°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 13.6" | 11.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 6 mi | 7 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.7 min | 32.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.7 | 37.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 30 | 22 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 20.17 | 22.50 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 77.9% | 77.9% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Carson
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding, earthquake.
Norwalk
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding, earthquake.
Full profiles: Carson, CA · Norwalk, CA · How this is calculated: methodology