Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US metro and micro areas.

Safety73#246/924
Economy37#581/925
Housing88#113/925
Health48#486/925
Healthcare34#614/923
Environment41#543/917
Education24#707/925
Infrastructure59#381/925
Community44#518/925
Leisure & amenities36#589/925

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Norwalk, OH micropolitan area ranks highest and lowest among US metro and micro areas (score = percentile, 100 = best).

Strengths

Income inequality (Gini index) · low0.405
96/100Ohio 0.467United States 0.4832020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B19083
Home price to income ratio · low2.5×
88/100Ohio 3.0×United States 4.1×2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25077
Public libraries · high1.4 /10k
86/100Ohio 0.7 /10kUnited States 0.5 /10k2024Institute of Museum and Library ServicesAggregated from counties
Severe housing problems · low10.6%
86/100Ohio 12.7%United States 16.8%2017-2021University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Rent as share of income · low26.1%
83/100Ohio 28.3%United States 30.6%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25071
Drought exposure · low11%
83/100Ohio 11%United States 43%Oct 2025–Sep 2026National Drought Mitigation Center (University of Nebraska–Lincoln), USDA and NOAAAggregated from counties

Weaknesses

Unemployment rate · high5.7%
8/100Ohio 4.7%United States 4.3%2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsPartial year
Bachelor's degree or higher · low16.7%
9/100Ohio 31.5%United States 35.7%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B15003
Primary care physicians · low38 /100k
13/100Ohio 77 /100kUnited States 76 /100k2022University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Public EV charging ports · low1.7 /10k
16/100Ohio 4.5 /10kUnited States 7.6 /10kOct 2026U.S. Department of EnergyAggregated from counties
Dentists · low40 /100k
17/100Ohio 66 /100kUnited States 75 /100k2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Pharmacies · low1.0 /10k
18/100Ohio 1.5 /10kUnited States 1.8 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsAggregated from counties

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

Gyms and fitness centersImproving
0.3 /10k (2020) → 1.0 /10k (2025)
+201%5 yearsUS 1.2 /10k → 1.3 /10k
New business applicationsImproving
4.8 /1k (2020) → 9.0 /1k (2025)
+87%5 yearsUS 13.1 /1k → 16.6 /1k
Drug overdose deathsImproving
41.1 /100k (2021) → 11.1 /100k (Mar 2025–Feb 2026)
−73%5 yearsUS 30.8 /100k → 18.4 /100k
Arts, entertainment and recreationImproving
2.1 /10k (2020) → 3.3 /10k (2025)
+59%5 yearsUS 4.8 /10k → 5.5 /10k
Broadband subscriptionsImproving
79.9% (2015-2019) → 88.4% (2020-2024)
+8.6 pts5 yearsCensus table B28002US 82.7% → 91.0%
Preventable hospital staysImproving
4,831 /100k (2019) → 2,990 /100k (2023)
−38%4 yearsUS 3,767 /100k → 2,769 /100k

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, Norwalk, OH micropolitan area improved on 13 of 28 measures with a comparison and declined on 3. 9 moved within the margin of error and 3 barely changed.

Earlier period
Latest period
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among metro and micro areas: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts. Periods differ by measure (most compare 2015-2019 with 2020-2024); each row names its own in its tooltip and in the table.

Improved13

Gyms+201%0.3 /10k → 1.0 /10k
Arts & recreation+59%2.1 /10k → 3.3 /10k
Traffic deaths−31%15.4 /100k → 10.6 /100k
Overdose deaths−82%61.5 /100k → 11.1 /100k
New businesses+87%4.8 /1k → 9.0 /1k

Declined3

Pharmacies−33%1.5 /10k → 1.0 /10k
Firearm deaths+8.1%9.9 /100k → 10.7 /100k
Suicides+9.2%13.1 /100k → 14.3 /100k

All 28 measures

Change of every measure of Norwalk, OH micropolitan area between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Arts, entertainment and recreation	2.1 /10k2020	3.3 /10k2025	+59%	Improved	98%
Average commute time	22.7 min2015-2019	22.4 min2020-2024	−0.3 min	Within the margin of error	73%
Average weekly wage	$8832020	$1,0662025	+21%	Improved	28%
Bachelor's degree or higher	14.4%2015-2019	16.7%2020-2024	+2.3 points	Improved	38%
Broadband subscriptions	79.9%2015-2019	88.4%2020-2024	+8.6 points	Improved	46%
Child poverty rate	18.8%2015-2019	19.1%2020-2024	+0.3 points	Within the margin of error	21%
Distance to an airport	43 mi2020	43 mi2025	0 mi	Little change	50%
Drug overdose deaths	61.5 /100k2020	11.1 /100kMar 2025–Feb 2026	−82%	Improved	98%
Effective property tax rate	1.11%2015-2019	0.92%2020-2024	−0.2 points	Little change	70%
Firearm deaths	9.9 /100k2020	10.7 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	+8.1%	Declined	37%
Grocery stores	1.4 /10k2020	1.5 /10k2025	+13%	Improved	81%
Gyms and fitness centers	0.3 /10k2020	1.0 /10k2025	+201%	Improved	99%
High school diploma or higher	88.5%2015-2019	90.9%2020-2024	+2.4 points	Within the margin of error	68%
Home price to income ratio	2.4×2015-2019	2.4×2020-2024	+0.1×	Within the margin of error	92%
Income adjusted for local prices	$45,3492019	$59,0112024	+30%	Improved	37%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.4092015-2019	0.4052020-2024	−0.004	Within the margin of error	67%
Median household income	$52,5602015-2019	$67,8782020-2024	+29%	Improved	61%
New business applications	4.8 /1k2020	9.0 /1k2025	+87%	Improved	91%
Pharmacies	1.5 /10k2020	1.0 /10k2025	−33%	Declined	7%
Poverty rate	13.2%2015-2019	13.2%2020-2024	+0 points	Within the margin of error	26%
Public libraries	1.4 /10k2019	1.4 /10k2024	+0.1%	Little change	64%
Rent as share of income	25.7%2015-2019	26.1%2020-2024	+0.4 points	Within the margin of error	50%
Rent-burdened households	39.5%2015-2019	42.6%2020-2024	+3 points	Within the margin of error	31%
Restaurants and bars	5.8 /10k2020	6.4 /10k2025	+9.3%	Improved	78%
Suicide rate	13.1 /100k2020	14.3 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	+9.2%	Declined	39%
Traffic deaths	15.4 /100k2015-2019	10.6 /100k2020-2024	−31%	Improved	95%
Unemployment rate	9.2%2020	5.7%2025	−3.5 points	Improved	64%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	8.4%2015-2019	7.9%2020-2024	−0.5 points	Within the margin of error	59%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 879 metro and micro areas that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: Regional Economic Accounts; Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; Mapping Injury, Overdose, and Violence; American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates; Business Formation Statistics; Public Libraries Survey; Fatality Analysis Reporting System; Distance to airports and intercity rail. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 925 metro and micro areas that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Metro and micro areas like Norwalk, OH micropolitan area five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Norwalk, OH micropolitan area in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, Norwalk, OH micropolitan area itself moved +5 points in standing on average over the same 28 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

58,319 residents

Men
Women

80 and over
70–79
60–69

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

23,490 households (±385)

Norwalk, OH micropolitan area
United States share

Under $25k16%3,732
$25k–50k21%5,012
$50k–75k17%4,107

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

23,490 households (±385)

Norwalk, OH micropolitan area
United States share

Own74%17,383
Rent26%6,107

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Own (+3.1 points).

Table view

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

26,776 workers (±702)

Norwalk, OH micropolitan area
United States share

Drive alone82%21,928
Carpool9.0%2,407
Public transit0.4%†100

Jobs and pay

What the largest occupations here pay, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes no occupation wages for Norwalk, OH micropolitan area.

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

Norwalk, OH has 1,105 employer establishments, 190 for every 10,000 residents (0.76× the US rate of 248), with 20,323 paid employees at an average annual pay of $51,557. The Census Bureau also counts 3,477 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 1,105; 3,477 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 190; US 248
Paid employees: 20,323
Average annual pay: $51,557; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Norwalk, OH by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Restaurants and other eating places	88	15.1	0.82×About typical	1,406	$15,514	12
Specialty trade contractors	81	13.9	0.90×About typical	577	$96,489	348
Ambulatory health care services	67	11.5	0.55×Fewer than typical	584	$63,045	111
Religious organizations	52	8.9	1.61×More than typical	377	$20,767	—
Limited-service restaurants	48	8.2	1.03×About typical	938	$14,874	9
Construction of buildings	41	7	0.93×About typical	402	$71,704	155
Lessors of real estate	35	6	0.49×Fewer than typical	74	$33,378	396
Truck transportation	34	5.8	1.16×About typical	1,052	$60,372	116
Automotive repair and maintenance	33	5.7	1.13×About typical	161	$46,460	112
Full-service restaurants	32	5.5	0.72×Fewer than typical	424	$17,035	—
Services to buildings and dwellings	28	4.8	0.71×Fewer than typical	135	$39,526	234
Banks and credit unions	27	4.6	1.44×More than typical	253	$54,783	—

Rank places for an industry

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 58,194 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
A metro area's figures are the exact sums of its counties.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contract spending

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated $36.6K on contracts performed in Norwalk, OH micropolitan area: $0.63 per resident (US $1,994).

Obligations: $36.6K; −93% vs FY2025
Per resident: $0.63; US $1,994
Sole-source: 41%; US 30%
Single offer: 0.0%; US 8.8%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

Department of the Army$21.4K59%
Department of the Navy$15.1K41%

Top recipients

GIVING TREE CAPITAL, LLC$21.4K59%
GUARDIAN MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LLC$15.1K41%

Spending by fiscal year

845.9KFY2017
2.4MFY2018
2.6MFY2019
8MFY2020
2.1MFY2021
6.4MFY2022
2.8MFY2023
171.1K

Top industries (NAICS)

Specialized freight trucking · 4842$21.4K59%
Other general purpose machinery manufacturing · 3339$15.1K41%

Largest awards

8511651317!GLOVES,CHEMICAL PRO$86.8K
GUARDIAN MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LLC· Huron County, OH· Other equipment & supplies· Sep 18, 2025 – Apr 2, 2026· SPE1C125P1241
PURCHASE/DELIVERY OF 110 TONS OF #304 CRUSHED GRAVEL, 35 TONS OF #57 GRAVEL, 40 TONS OF RIP RAP (601D). DUMPING THE GRAVEL WILL BE AT A DESIGNATED LOCATION PER ON SITE PERSONNEL. DRIVERS WILL BE AVAILABLE TO SPREAD OR DUMP TO EXISTING STOCKPILE.$21.4K
GIVING TREE CAPITAL, LLC· Huron County, OH· Other equipment & supplies· Apr 22, 2026 – Apr 22, 2026· W9136426PA044
GLOVES, CHEM PROTEC$15.1K
GUARDIAN MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LLC· Huron County, OH· Other equipment & supplies· Apr 8, 2026 – Apr 8, 2026· N0010426PBQ34

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026.

Federal grants & assistance

Grants, loans (counted at their subsidy cost), direct payments and insurance, by fiscal year of the action (USAspending.gov, FABS). Reported apart from contracts and never added to them.

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated $383.6M in grants, loans, direct payments and insurance for Norwalk, OH micropolitan area: $6,585 per resident (US $12,955).

Assistance · FY2026: $383.6M; −3.5% vs FY2025
Per resident: $6,585; US $12,955
Loan face value: $10.6M; lent or guaranteed
To individuals: 0.9%; counted, never named

Top programs

96.002 · Social Security Retirement Insurance$225.3M59%
96.001 · Social Security Disability Insurance$36.6M9.5%
64.109 · Veterans Compensation for Service-Connected Disability$31.1M8.1%
96.004 · Social Security Survivors Insurance$26.2M6.8%
57.001 · Social Insurance for Railroad Workers$21.7M5.7%
20.287 · Surface Transportation Block Grant Program$10.1M2.6%
96.006 · Supplemental Security Income$9.3M2.4%
20.205 · Highway Planning and Construction$3.9M1.0%

Top recipients (organizations)

OHIO DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION$18.9M4.9%
COLUMBUS, OH
HURON METROPOLITAN HOUSING AUTHORITY$2.8M0.7%
NORWALK, OH
FISHER-TITUS MEDICAL CENTER$1M0.3%
NORWALK, OH
J.T. TONY'S LLC$791.4K0.2%
NORWALK, OH
LUTHERAN HOUSING SERVICES #3, INC.$348.1K

Organizations only: awards to individuals and county aggregate records count in the totals but are never listed. Grants to state governments recorded at the agency's own address are counted statewide, not in the capital's county.

Top agencies

Social Security Administration$297.4M78%
Under Secretary for Benefits/Veterans Benefits Administration$35.9M9.4%
Department of Veterans Affairs
Railroad Retirement Board$21.7M5.7%
Federal Highway Administration$18.9M4.9%
Department of Transportation
Farm Service Agency$3.3M0.9%

Assistance by fiscal year

328.7MFY2021
329MFY2022
358.3MFY2023
363.5MFY2024
397.6MFY2025
383.6MFY2026

County aggregates

93%

Share of obligations reported only as county totals of many small awards (for example Social Security or Medicare payments), with no recipient named.

Source: Federal financial assistance transactions (Financial Assistance Broker Submission) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026 · FY2021–FY2026.

Counties in Norwalk, OH

Whole counties, as the U.S. Office of Management and Budget delineates the area. Federal spending below is the exact sum of these counties.

Huron CountyCentral county6058,250

Principal cities

The cities the area is named for.

NorwalkPrincipal city17,095

Largest cities and towns

By population, for places with most of their residents in the area.

Other metro and micro areas in Ohio

Areas based in Ohio, best score first.

Neighboring metro and micro areas

Places that share a border, best score first.

Similar metro and micro areas

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

Mapping Injury, Overdose, and ViolenceCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2026-10-01
PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Daily county PM2.5 and ozone (EPA downscaler model)Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · U.S. Environmental Protection Agency · release 2022
Care Compare: Hospital General Information and Timely and Effective CareCenters for Medicare & Medicaid Services · release 2026-07-22
Distance to airports and intercity railFederal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census Bureau · release 2025+amtrak-2026-04-23
Public Libraries SurveyInstitute of Museum and Library Services · release FY2024
U.S. Drought Monitor county statisticsNational Drought Mitigation Center (University of Nebraska–Lincoln), USDA and NOAA · release 2026-09-29
Fatality Analysis Reporting SystemNational Highway Traffic Safety Administration · release 2024
nClimGrid-Daily county averagesNOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · release 2025
Regional Economic AccountsU.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis · release 2024
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
Quarterly Census of Employment and WagesU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2026 Q1
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Building Permits SurveyU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-08
Business Formation StatisticsU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-10-01
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Alternative Fuels Data Center station locatorU.S. Department of Energy · release 2026-10
Election Administration and Voting SurveyU.S. Election Assistance Commission · release 2024
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement

JSON · /api/v1/places/M35940

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends

What changed in five years

Improved13

Declined3

Metro and micro areas like Norwalk, OH micropolitan area five years ago that improved

Who lives here

Age and sex

Income

Household income

Homes

Owners and renters

Getting to work

How people get to work

Jobs and pay

Local businesses

Federal contract spending

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards

Federal grants & assistance

Top programs

Top recipients (organizations)

Top agencies

Assistance by fiscal year

County aggregates

Counties in Norwalk, OH

Principal cities

Largest cities and towns

Other metro and micro areas in Ohio

Neighboring metro and micro areas

Similar metro and micro areas

Data and sources

Improved13

Declined3

Age and sex

Household income

Owners and renters

How people get to work

Race and Hispanic origin

Education

Rent paid

Home values

Age of homes

Size of homes

Time to get to work

Top programs

Top recipients (organizations)

Top agencies

Assistance by fiscal year

County aggregates

By type

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards

What was bought