Norwalk CA vs St. Charles MO — Cost of Living, Crime & Income Comparison 2026

Updated May 2026 · Source: US Census ACS 5-Year (2023), FBI CDE (2023), BLS OEWS (2024)

Norwalk, CA

California · Population: 100,713

  • Median HH Income$98,709
  • Median Home Price$765,319
  • Unemployment5.6%
  • Bachelor's+21.3%

St. Charles, MO

Missouri · Population: 71,542

  • Median HH Income$55,578
  • Median Home Price$144,200
  • Unemployment4.7%
  • Bachelor's+22.7%

Detailed Comparison

Demographics

Population
Norwalk
100,713
Norwalk +
St. Charles
71,542
Pop. Density / sq mi
Lower = more space
Norwalk
N/A
St. Charles
N/A
Median Age
Norwalk
36.5
Norwalk +
St. Charles
37.9
Foreign Born
Norwalk
32.6%
Norwalk +
St. Charles
4.2%
White
Norwalk
24.0%
St. Charles
80.4%
St. Charles +
Black
Norwalk
4.2%
St. Charles
6.7%
St. Charles +
Asian
Norwalk
13.8%
Norwalk +
St. Charles
1.4%
Hispanic
Norwalk
69.5%
Norwalk +
St. Charles
7.7%
Spanish at Home
Norwalk
N/A
St. Charles
N/A

Economy

Median HH Income
Norwalk
$98,709
Norwalk +
St. Charles
$55,578
Per Capita Income
Norwalk
$31,989
Norwalk +
St. Charles
$31,499
Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)
BEA MSA-level
Norwalk
$77,230
Norwalk +
St. Charles
$58,527
Unemployment Rate
Norwalk
5.6%
St. Charles
4.7%
St. Charles +
Poverty Rate
Norwalk
9.7%
Norwalk +
St. Charles
18.7%
Bachelor's Degree+
Norwalk
21.3%
St. Charles
22.7%
St. Charles +

Housing

Median Home Value
Zillow ZHVI / Census ACS
Norwalk
$765,319
St. Charles
$144,200
St. Charles +
Homeownership Rate
Norwalk
68.1%
Norwalk +
St. Charles
61.4%

Safety

Violent Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Norwalk
503
St. Charles
501
St. Charles +
Property Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Norwalk
2388
Norwalk +
St. Charles
2418

Health

Obesity Rate
CDC PLACES
Norwalk
26.9%
Norwalk +
St. Charles
35.9%
Diabetes Rate
CDC PLACES
Norwalk
12.7%
St. Charles
10.4%
St. Charles +
Poor Mental Health
CDC PLACES — 14+ days/month
Norwalk
16.1%
St. Charles
16.0%
St. Charles +
No Health Insurance
CDC PLACES
Norwalk
15.4%
St. Charles
7.1%
St. Charles +
Binge Drinking
CDC PLACES
Norwalk
15.3%
Norwalk +
St. Charles
18.4%
Current Smokers
CDC PLACES
Norwalk
10.5%
Norwalk +
St. Charles
12.5%

Climate

Avg Annual Temp
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Norwalk
N/A
St. Charles
N/A
Annual Precipitation
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Norwalk
N/A
St. Charles
N/A

Air Quality

PM2.5 Annual Avg
EPA AQS (state-level est.)
Norwalk
7.9 µg/m³
Norwalk +
St. Charles
9.3 µg/m³
Good Air Days
AQI ≤ 50
Norwalk
75.0%
Norwalk +
St. Charles
55.0%

Commute

Mean Commute Time
Census ACS
Norwalk
32.1 min
St. Charles
18.3 min
St. Charles +

Which City is Right for You?

Norwalk leads in median household income at $98,709, while st. Charles offers more affordable housing with a median home price of $144,200. On public safety, St. Charles is safer with a violent crime rate of 501 per 100,000 residents, compared to 503 in Norwalk. St. Charles has a lower unemployment rate at 4.7%, and Norwalk has cleaner air (PM2.5 avg 7.9 µg/m³). For overall health outcomes, Norwalk scores better with a lower obesity rate of 26.9%.

Compare More Cities

About Norwalk & St. Charles