Signals
Stamford
Norwalk
Opportunity
47 · Bottom 31%
vs47 · Bottom 31%
Growth
59 · Top 33%
vs56 · Top 39%
Climate
65 · Bottom 34%
vs65 · Bottom 34%
Housing affordability
59 · Bottom 19%
vs65 · Bottom 27%
Access
84 · Bottom 28%
vs82 · Bottom 25%
Economic stability
69 · Top 32%
vs70 · Top 29%
Measured values
| Metric | Stamford | Norwalk | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 137,144 | 92,187 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $111,586 | $107,616 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $67,068 | $61,397 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,645/sq mi | 4,028/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $624,400 | $558,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,276 | $2,073 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 48.8% | 55.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.3% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -4.7% | -4.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 51.7% | 44.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.1% | 9.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 887 | 371 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 6.5 | 4.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 16.3% | -6.1% | 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 | 33 mi | 36 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.5 min | 28.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.4 | 40.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 25 | 23 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.99 | 12.74 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 52.9% | 51.9% | 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: Stamford, CT · Norwalk, CT · How this is calculated: methodology