City profile · Iowa · Census ACS 2023

Norwalk, IA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Norwalk - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

13,610
Residents
$94,583
Median income
$275,700
Median home
$1,318
Median rent (state)

Norwalk - the verdict

Nationally, Norwalk sits in the 74th percentile for household income and the 93rd percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

74th
percentile, household income
61st
percentile, home value
47th
percentile, median rent
93rd
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Norwalk, IA

13,610 people live in Norwalk, Iowa - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $94,583 per year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 1.0%. Home values in Norwalk run a median of $275,700, and the median resident age is 36.5 years. About 40.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 71.7% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 304 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Building Boom), up 50% from five years earlier. Norwalk reports a comparatively low crime rate: per-100,000 total crime stands at 288.7 in FBI UCR data, below the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Living costs in Iowa run below the national norm: the state registers 87.8 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Well Below Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,318 monthly. Monthly utility costs average around $212 across Iowa, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 36.1 out of 100 (Very Low).

Population

13,610 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Iowa

Median Household Income

$94,583 /yr

Poverty 1.0%

Cost of Living Index (state)

87.8 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Iowa average

How does Norwalk compare to other US cities?

Where Norwalk sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 74% higher than other cities
Home value 61% pricier than other cities
Median rent 47% pricier than other cities
Safety 93% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

Zoom in to just Iowa and the picture shifts: Norwalk ranks #24 of 141 Iowa cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Norwalk's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Iowa, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

74thIncome percentile
93rdSafety percentile

74th percentile nationally for median household income · 93rd percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Norwalk's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Norwalk's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 71 Avg. percentile National median
Norwalk's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Norwalk's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$275,700 39th percentile more affordable than 39% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). This entry sits in this band. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Norwalk $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Norwalk, IA Norwalk, IA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Norwalk, IA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Norwalk, IA median $94,583/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Norwalk, IA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Norwalk, IA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 40.2%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 1.0%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 71.7%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
13,610
Median Income
$94,583
Median Home Value
$275,700
Median Age
36.5
Poverty Rate
1.0%
Labor force participation
71.7%
Bachelor's Degree+
40.2%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
288.7
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
109.1
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
179.6
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
5
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
12,000 residents13,000 residents14,000 residents15,000 residents16,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 12,861 residents 15,004 residents ▲ +16.7%
Norwalk's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
304
housing units authorized
Single-Family
304
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
22.3
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 202
2020 308
2021 291
2022 320
2023 195
2024 304

Permit volume increased 50% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
76.9%
Carpool
4.2%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
1.4%
Work from Home
16.0%
Other
1.5%

Based on 7,171 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Iowa - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$95
avg/month
Natural Gas
$75
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$42
avg/month
Total Utilities
$212
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Iowa state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Iowa state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Norwalk sits in

Cost of Living Index
87.8
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,318/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
36.1 / 100
Very Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Iowa

Boone
12,445 people
Newton
15,696 people
Oskaloosa
11,492 people
Grimes
15,810 people
Spencer
11,393 people
Indianola
15,918 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Norwalk's 13,610 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Hockessin, DE
13,608 people
Miami Springs, FL
13,606 people
Seabrook, TX
13,617 people
Speedway, IN
13,622 people
South Charleston, WV
13,594 people
Port Neches, TX
13,627 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Norwalk's $94,583 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Greenville, RI
$94,567 median income
Salem Lakes, WI
$94,554 median income
Johnson Creek, WI
$94,552 median income
Marmora, NJ
$94,621 median income
Union Grove, WI
$94,621 median income
Millstadt, IL
$94,536 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Norwalk, IA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Norwalk, IA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 96.3% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 1.5% White 96.3% Black or African American 0.1% Asian 0.2% American Indian 0.1% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.2% Two or more races 3.3% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Norwalk compares to nearby Iowa cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Norwalk (this city) 13,610 $94,583
Boone 12,445 $67,269
Newton 15,696 $56,321
Oskaloosa 11,492 $62,172
Census ACS 5-year FIPS IA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Norwalk, IA?

What is the population of Norwalk, IA? +

The population of Norwalk, IA stands at 13,610 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Norwalk, IA? +

Norwalk households earn a median of $94,583 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Norwalk? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Norwalk; the closest available measure is the Iowa state average, a cost of living index of 87.8 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Iowa vary by metro area.

Is Norwalk, IA safe? +

Norwalk has a total crime rate of 288.7 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Norwalk, IA? +

Norwalk's median home value sits at $275,700, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.