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Norwalk, CT

A town of about 92,187 people in Fairfield County, part of the Bridgeport area. Resident comments and photos are about Norwalk; job numbers cover the wider area.

Everyday life
Shops, cafes, and daily routines
Hobbies & activities
Trails, parks, and pastimes
Nearby scenery
Lakes, overlooks, and drives

Photos and reviews come from Google Maps and show single places, not the whole area. Reviews are the most relevant ones Google returns for each place. We show the longest highly rated review under 400 characters and, when there is one, the longest low-rated review. Google doesn't verify reviews but removes fake ones when it finds them.

Around Norwalk

Norwalk, CT
Norwalk, CT · Photo: Quintin Soloviev, CC BY 4.0
Norwalk CTCity Hall
Norwalk CTCity Hall · Photo: Noroton at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
Norwalk CTLockwood Mansion So
Norwalk CTLockwood Mansion So · Photo: Noroton at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
Norwalk CTNorwalk
Norwalk CTNorwalk · Photo: Noroton at en.wikipedia, Public domain
Norwalk CTRock Ledge
Norwalk CTRock Ledge · Photo: Noroton at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
Norwalk Transit Gillig
Norwalk Transit Gillig · Photo: Adam E. Moreira , uploader of photo, CC BY-SA 3.0
Norwalk Harbor Generating Station Energy Manresa Island
Norwalk Harbor Generating Station Energy Manresa Island · Photo: Quintin Soloviev, CC BY 4.0
South Norwalk RRsta West
South Norwalk RRsta West · Photo: Noroton at English Wikipedia, Public domain
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Where it is
Norwalk
Norwalk in Connecticut
Connecticut in the U.S.
State outlines: U.S. Census Bureau.

What's nearby

Within 5 miles of Norwalk's center.

14
grocery stores
103
restaurants
19
coffee shops
83
parks
70
playgrounds
11
libraries
2
movie theaters
3
live theaters
8
museums
11
bookstores
11
gyms
6
bars
3
pharmacies
1
hospital

Counts from OpenStreetMap, a volunteer map, so small or new places can be missing. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Biking and trails

Within 5 miles of the center of Norwalk.

Bike lanes and bike paths
15 miles
more than most U.S. towns
Walking and hiking trails
53 miles
more than most U.S. towns

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Counts depend on how well local volunteers have mapped the area, so treat them as a rough guide.

What rent costs

Of about 15,552 rented homes in Norwalk, 50% rent for under $2,000 a month and 85% for under $3,000.

Under $1,000: 14%
$1,000 to $1,499: 12%
$1,500 to $1,999: 23%
$2,000 to $2,499: 22%
$2,500 to $2,999: 14%
$3,000 or more: 15%

Census American Community Survey 2019 to 2023 (table B25063). Gross rent includes utilities the renter pays. Today's asking rents for open apartments usually run higher.

What moving costs

Hiring movers

Average cost: $1,946

From a 2025 survey of 1,000 people who hired movers. This Old House. Your quote depends on your stuff, stairs and the time of year.

Moving in as a renter

The middle rented home in Norwalk rents for $2,000 to $2,499 a month. Before you get the keys, expect about $4,000 to $4,998 for first month plus a deposit, or up to $6,000 to $7,497 where landlords also ask for last month.

Many landlords want your income to be about 3 times the rent. For $2,000 to $2,499, that's a yearly income of about $72,000 to $89,964.

Estimate from Census rent data (2019 to 2023, rent plus tenant-paid utilities). Deposits and fees vary by landlord and state law.

Moving to Connecticut: before and after

  • Forward your mail: USPS change of address. It costs about $1 online to confirm who you are.
  • Switch your driver's license and car registration. Each state sets its own deadline, often somewhere between 10 days and a few months after you move. Find the Connecticut DMV.
  • Register to vote at your new address: Connecticut voter registration.
  • Set up power, gas, water and trash. Some cities bill water and trash together, and some ask new customers for a deposit.
  • Update your address with your bank, employer, insurance and the IRS (Form 8822 if you're not filing soon).
  • Find a doctor and dentist early. New-patient waits can be weeks, even in big cities.

Childcare and colleges

Daycare and preschool

Connecticut keeps an official list of licensed childcare, with inspection reports and openings in many states. In a lot of towns, infant spots fill up months ahead, so it helps to get on waitlists before you move.

Typical full-time prices in this county (2022)
AgeDaycare centerHome daycare
Infant (under 2)$425/week
about $22,100 a year
$300/week
about $15,600 a year
Toddler (2)$425/week
about $22,100 a year
Preschool (3 to 4)$306/week
about $15,900 a year
$300/week
about $15,600 a year
School-age$120/week
about $6,200 a year

For an infant at a center: $425/week here, $259 across the U.S.. Full-time infant care at a center here costs about 21% of a typical family's income. These are 2022 prices, the newest the government has published by county, and prices have gone up since.

U.S. Department of Labor, National Database of Childcare Prices, 2022. Middle (median) price for full-time care. State and U.S. figures average the county prices, weighted by population (Census 2024).
Search licensed childcare in Connecticut →
Link via childcare.gov (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services).

5 colleges in the county and the wider metro around Norwalk. Prices are yearly tuition and fees for full-time undergrads, before financial aid.

Sacred Heart University · Fairfield (metro)
Private nonprofit, 4-year · 11,179 students · $48,460 a year
Fairfield University · Fairfield (metro)
Private nonprofit, 4-year · 6,289 students · $56,360 a year
Western Connecticut State University · Danbury (metro)
Public, 4-year · 4,137 students · $12,763 in-state, $16,095 out-of-state
University of Bridgeport · Bridgeport (metro)
Private nonprofit, 4-year · 4,103 students · $35,760 a year
University of Connecticut-Stamford · Stamford (metro)
Public, 4-year · 2,240 students · $17,472 in-state, $40,140 out-of-state

Moving for school? Public colleges charge state residents much less. Most states want you to have lived there about 12 months, for reasons other than school, before you count as a resident for tuition. The rules differ by state, so check with the college's registrar.

IPEDS 2023-24, National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS). Degree-granting public and nonprofit schools with 100+ students. Varro doesn't rank colleges.

The facts behind it
Typical home value
$693,466
What a typical home sells for across the Bridgeport area.
Source: Zillow Home Value Index, August 2026
Cost of living
About 7% above the U.S. average
Everyday prices (rent, groceries, services) run about $107 here for what costs $100 nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis price index 106.9 (U.S. = 100), 2024
Drive to the nearest big job hub
About 23 min at rush hour
To downtown Bridgeport, CT, 15 miles. About 23 min with no traffic.
Source: Google traffic estimate for a weekday morning around 8am
Average commute
31 minutes one way
How long residents' trips to work take on average, counting every job and way of getting there. U.S. average: about 27 minutes.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Data centers nearby
2 within 15 miles
The nearest is about 2.1 miles from the town center (CyrusOne). The largest is about 78,000 sq ft.
Source: PNNL IM3 Data Center Atlas, from OpenStreetMap (ODbL), loaded July 2026
Homeowners insurance
About $1,905 a year
The statewide average for a typical policy in CT. Your own quote will depend on the home.
Source: Statewide estimate, 2026
Hospitals nearby
1 within 5 miles
Hospitals mapped within 5 miles of the center. Emergency and specialty care vary, so check which ones fit your needs.
Source: OpenStreetMap (ODbL)
Drug overdose deaths (county)
null per 100,000 people a year
130 deaths in the 12 months ending March 2026. CT average: 21.8 per 100,000. U.S.: 19.9. Counts are by where people lived, and recent months may still be updated.
Source: CDC National Center for Health Statistics, provisional counts through March 2026; Census population estimates 2024
State income tax
Graduated, up to 6.99%
CT's state income tax. Some cities and counties add their own.
Source: 2026

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