Norfolk city, Virginia Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Norfolk city, 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: density and quick facts
| Metric | Norfolk city | Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 233,287 | 8,702,460 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 2421.1 | 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 city 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 city 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 city and men 51.2%.
- Women 48.8% Virginia 50.6%
- Men 51.2% Virginia 49.4%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Norfolk city
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Economy
Norfolk city has a the economy index of C, which means it is somewhat prosperous.
| Metric | Norfolk city | 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 city is about 29% lower than in Virginia.
Housing
| Metric | Norfolk city | 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 city 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 city 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 city | 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) | 16,590 | 10,059 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 2,689 | 1,531 | 1,355 |
Fastest commutes among counties in
Virginia:
Lexington city (10.6 min), Covington city (12.2 min), Norton city (13.1 min).
Slowest:
Amelia County (43.7 min), Craig County (41.3 min), Buckingham County (41.3 min).
The average commute time in Norfolk city 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 city has a education index of C, which means it is somewhat educated.
| Metric | Norfolk city | 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 |
Highest education index among counties in
Virginia:
Falls Church city (0.6), Arlington County (0.6), Alexandria city (0.5).
Lowest:
Greensville County (0.2), Lunenburg County (0.2), Buchanan County (0.2).
Health
Norfolk city has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Norfolk city | 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% |
Highest health index among counties in
Virginia:
Falls Church city (0.8), Arlington County (0.8), Fairfax County (0.8).
Lowest:
Emporia city (0.7), Petersburg city (0.8), Galax city (0.8).
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Norfolk city, Virginia.
How many people live in Norfolk city, Virginia?
About 233,287 people live in Norfolk city, 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 city, Virginia?
Averaged over its land area, Norfolk city, Virginia has 2,421 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 city, 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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