Norfolk, Virginia Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Norfolk, VA Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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B
Health Around average
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C
Income Below average
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C
Education Below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population
| Metric | Norfolk | Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 233,287 | 8,702,460 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 2419.9 | 203.3 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -0.63% | 0.57% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 30.6 | 37.4 | 37.3 |
| Households | 94,819 | 3,364,625 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Norfolk declined by 1.5% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 233,287 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Norfolk is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 30.0% of residents. That is 8.6 points above Virginia as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 69,910 30.0% +8.6 pts
- Millennials 29–44 53,802 23.1% +0.7 pts
- Gen X 45–60 37,859 16.2% -4.2 pts
- Boomers 61–79 30,174 12.9% -3.6 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below Virginia, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 48.8% of the people living in Norfolk and men 51.2%.
- Women 48.8% Virginia 50.6%
- Men 51.2% Virginia 49.4%
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100% of everyone living in Norfolk
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Economy
Norfolk has a the economy index of C, which means it is somewhat prosperous.
| Metric | Norfolk | Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $66,067 | $93,527 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.85% | 4.33% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 4.7% | 4.1% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Norfolk is about 29% lower than in Virginia.
Housing
| Metric | Norfolk | Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $257,238 | $256,082 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,321 | $1,579 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 46.3% | 67.3% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Norfolk is about 16.2 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,321 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Norfolk spend about 42 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 174 hours, about 7.3 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Norfolk | Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 20.9 | 23.2 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 41.8 | 46.3 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 174 | 193 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $5,396 | $5,986 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 10.2% | 18.3% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 16,551 | 10,059 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 2,437 | 1,531 | 1,355 |
The average commute time in Norfolk is 21 minutes, shorter than the 23 minutes in Virginia.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Norfolk has a education index of C, which means it is somewhat educated.
| Metric | Norfolk | Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.5% | 37.7% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.25 | 2.52 | 2.53 |
Health
Norfolk has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Norfolk | Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 75.2 | 77.3 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 17.1% | 16.9% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 19.4% | 19.0% | 19.0% |
Norfolk, VA Compared With Nearby Cities
Norfolk, VA is the 2nd largest of the 4 cities compared here, 233,287 residents against a local median of 137,557. Norfolk, VA sits close to the middle of its own neighbourhood. No measure below is more than 15% off the local median, so the choice between these cities turns on things this data does not capture.
The largest of those small differences is median household income, 6% below the local median at $66,067 against $70,017. Norfolk, VA has the 3rd highest median household income of the 4 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Norfolk, VA | 233,287 | $66,067 #3/4 | $257,238 #2/4 | 20.9 min #2/4 |
| Portsmouth, VA | 97,157 | $60,549 | $246,079 | 21.7 min |
| Hampton, VA | 137,557 | $70,017 | $206,858 | 18.5 min |
| Chesapeake, VA | 252,549 | $95,849 | $388,636 | 23.6 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Norfolk, Virginia.
How big is Norfolk, Virginia by population?
About 233,287 people live in Norfolk, Virginia, in 94,819 households of 2.3 people on average. The median age is 30.6, so residents are younger than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 7 years.
How densely populated is Norfolk, Virginia?
Averaged over its land area, Norfolk, Virginia has 2,420 people per square mile, a density typical of urban and suburban areas. That is about 28 times the U.S. average of 86.
How affordable is housing in Norfolk, Virginia?
The median home costs 3.9 times the median household income ($257,238 against $66,067), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $1,321 a month takes about 24% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
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