Norwalk receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Indianola
Norwalk
Opportunity
80 · Top 7%
vs85 · Top 3%
Growth
77 · Top 8%
vs82 · Top 3%
Climate
59 · Bottom 10%
vs59 · Bottom 10%
Physical resilience
74 · Top 32%
vs73 · Top 33%
Housing affordability
98 · Top 12%
vs100 · Top 8%
Schools
67 · Top 31%
vs74 · Top 21%
Access
89 · Bottom 38%
vs95 · Top 40%
Economic stability
69 · Top 32%
vs82 · Top 5%
Measured values
| Metric | Indianola | Norwalk | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 16,044 | 14,183 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $75,453 | $102,722 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $36,086 | $49,896 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,403/sq mi | 1,218/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $237,500 | $303,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $986 | $838 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 69.9% | 82.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 2.9% | 2.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.3% | 0.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35.0% | 38.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 6.4% | 4.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 104 | 262 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 6.5 | 18.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 108.0% | 8.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 86°F | 86°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 14°F | 14°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 36.5" | 36.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 13 mi | 4 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.4 min | 23.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.9 | 37.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 5 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.31 | 15.64 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 78.6% | 79.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 70.8% | 74.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 27.1% | 17.4% | 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
Indianola
Elevated or high exposure: drought, tornado, heat wave.
Norwalk
Elevated or high exposure: drought, tornado, heat wave.
Full profiles: Indianola, IA · Norwalk, IA · How this is calculated: methodology