Signals
Norwalk
Stamford
Opportunity
47 · Bottom 31%
vs47 · Bottom 31%
Growth
56 · Top 39%
vs59 · Top 33%
Climate
65 · Bottom 34%
vs65 · Bottom 34%
Housing affordability
65 · Bottom 27%
vs59 · Bottom 19%
Access
82 · Bottom 25%
vs84 · Bottom 28%
Economic stability
70 · Top 29%
vs69 · Top 32%
Measured values
| Metric | Norwalk | Stamford | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 92,187 | 137,144 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $107,616 | $111,586 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $61,397 | $67,068 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,028/sq mi | 3,645/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $558,000 | $624,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,073 | $2,276 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 55.6% | 48.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% | 4.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -4.7% | -4.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 44.8% | 51.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.1% | 10.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 371 | 887 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.0 | 6.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -6.1% | 16.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 22°F | 22°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 47.8" | 47.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 36 mi | 33 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.9 min | 30.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.6 | 38.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 23 | 25 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.74 | 12.99 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 51.9% | 52.9% | 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.
Full profiles: Norwalk, CT · Stamford, CT · How this is calculated: methodology