Norwalk receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Newton
Norwalk
Opportunity
70 · Top 23%
vs85 · Top 3%
Growth
70 · Top 16%
vs82 · Top 3%
Climate
58 · Bottom 9%
vs59 · Bottom 10%
Physical resilience
68 · Top 39%
vs73 · Top 33%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 8%
vs100 · Top 8%
Schools
44 · Bottom 40%
vs74 · Top 21%
Access
82 · Bottom 24%
vs95 · Top 40%
Economic stability
53 · Bottom 37%
vs82 · Top 5%
Measured values
| Metric | Newton | Norwalk | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 15,700 | 14,183 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $57,771 | $102,722 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $34,732 | $49,896 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,395/sq mi | 1,218/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $153,700 | $303,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $819 | $838 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 61.5% | 82.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.1% | 2.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.5% | 0.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.5% | 38.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.1% | 4.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 68 | 262 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.3 | 18.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 161.5% | 8.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 86°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 13°F | 14°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 36.6" | 36.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 34 mi | 4 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.7 min | 23.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 42.6 | 37.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 5 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.75 | 15.64 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 63.0% | 79.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 64.2% | 74.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 49.9% | 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
Newton
Elevated or high exposure: drought, tornado, cold wave.
Norwalk
Elevated or high exposure: drought, tornado, heat wave.
Full profiles: Newton, IA · Norwalk, IA · How this is calculated: methodology