Norwalk receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Norwalk
Lancaster
Opportunity
38 · Bottom 14%
vs30 · Bottom 7%
Growth
22 · Bottom 9%
vs22 · Bottom 9%
Climate
100 · Top 4%
vs60 · Bottom 13%
Physical resilience
11 · Bottom 4%
vs11 · Bottom 7%
Housing affordability
53 · Bottom 13%
vs57 · Bottom 16%
Access
100 · Top 3%
vs90 · Bottom 42%
Economic stability
66 · Top 38%
vs44 · Bottom 23%
Measured values
| Metric | Norwalk | Lancaster | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 99,789 | 169,169 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $100,085 | $81,511 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $33,409 | $31,046 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 10,280/sq mi | 1,794/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $644,700 | $446,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,090 | $1,764 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 68.3% | 60.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.2% | 7.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.6% | -1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.3% | 20.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.3% | 15.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 43 | 313 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.4 | 1.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -80.4% | -68.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 98°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 46°F | 31°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 11.9" | 6.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 7 mi | 25 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 32.2 min | 31.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.3 | 34.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 22 | 46 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 22.50 | 23.94 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 77.9% | 75.6% | 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
Norwalk
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding, earthquake.
Lancaster
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Full profiles: Norwalk, CA · Lancaster, CA · How this is calculated: methodology