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CITY

Norfolk

Virginia · 231,013 residents (2025 est.) · 53.275 sq mi
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Notable rankings
#101Largest by populationof 4,896231,013
The short version

Norfolk has lower-than-average household income, with a median household income of $66,109. Population has held roughly steady since 2000. Median home value has roughly tripled since 2000, reaching $289,900. At a median age of 32.7, residents skew younger than the country as a whole. Households here earn about 29% less than the Virginia median.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 32.7
US median: 38.9
Average education
33% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 80%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
233,596
Unchangedsince 2000
from 234,403 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
4,385 / sq mi
−1%since 2009
from 4,431 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
32.7
+10%since 2000
from 29.6 in 2000
US average: 38.9

PEP 2025 EST:231,013 residents (Census Bureau Vintage 2025, released March 2026)

Population, 1990 – 2024
231K239K247K256K264K1990201020202024Norfolk
2024234K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 56.4%(14,974)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 95.9%(13,687)
US avg: 6%
10 to 145.1%(11,925)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 196.6%(15,318)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 2411.2%(26,092)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3418.8%(43,854)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4412.7%(29,754)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 549.5%(22,210)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6410.8%(25,342)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 748.2%(19,178)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 843.7%(8,558)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over1.2%(2,704)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$66,109
+14%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $31,815 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$39,457
+127%since 2000
from $17,372 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
43.7%
+20.1 ptssince 2009
from 23.6% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
16.5%
−2.9 ptssince 2000
from 19.4% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.474
+2%since 2010
from 0.466 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information11.1%
US avg: 10.8%
Retail trade7.4%
US avg: 9.9%
Wholesale trade6.1%
US avg: 6.9%
Other services6.1%
US avg: 6.7%
Finance & insurance5.6%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical5.2%
US avg: 5.1%
Public administration3.9%
US avg: 4.8%
Transportation & warehousing1.6%
US avg: 2.2%
Arts, entertainment, food1.3%
US avg: 1.9%
Education & health services0.4%
US avg: 0.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.2%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction0.2%
US avg: 1.2%
Manufacturing0.1%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$289,900
+80%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $88,300 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,321
+35%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $538 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
46.3%
+0.8 ptssince 2000
from 45.5% in 2000
53.7% rent
Vacancy rate
8.3%
−2.3 ptssince 2009
from 10.6% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Owner cost-burdened
25.7%
−10.6 ptssince 2009
from 36.3% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
52.8%
+3.0 ptssince 2009
from 49.8% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
4.4
−7%since 2009
from 4.7 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
52
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Norfolk on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic47%(110,221)
Black43.6%(102,268)
Hispanic / Latino3.8%(8,915)
Asian2.8%(6,477)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic41.2%(96,188)
Black38.9%(90,856)
Hispanic / Latino10.1%(23,691)
Asian3.6%(8,508)
Other6.1%(14,353)
Diversity Score
83
+11%since 2009
from 75 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican3.8%(8,833)
Central American2.2%(5,067)
Puerto Rican2.1%(4,815)
Honduran1%(2,299)
Salvadoran0.6%(1,430)
South American0.6%(1,353)
Dominican0.4%(955)
Cuban0.4%(879)
Spaniard0.3%(785)
Guatemalan0.2%(557)
Colombian0.2%(369)
Peruvian0.2%(357)
+ 10 more hispanic origin groups with data
Panamanian0.1%(345)
Nicaraguan0.1%(316)
Venezuelan0.1%(232)
Ecuadorian0.1%(184)
Costa Rican0.1%(120)
Argentine0%(78)
Chilean0%(74)
Bolivian0%(38)
Uruguayan0%(16)
Asian origin
Filipino2%(4,780)
Chinese0.4%(837)
Asian Indian0.3%(758)
Vietnamese0.2%(423)
Korean0.1%(326)
Pakistani0.1%(242)
Thai0.1%(193)
Kazakh0.1%(163)
Japanese0.1%(155)
Bangladeshi0.1%(148)
Cambodian0%(104)
Taiwanese0%(74)
+ 5 more asian origin groups with data
Malaysian0%(56)
Laotian0%(38)
Burmese0%(25)
Pacific Islander origin
Chamorro0.1%(220)
Samoan0%(58)
Guamanian0%(43)
Tongan0%(33)
Ancestry
German8%(18,750)
English8%(18,658)
Irish7.7%(18,085)
American5.3%(12,423)
Italian3.4%(7,950)
Polish1.6%(3,665)
Scottish1.5%(3,570)
French1.3%(3,018)
West Indian1.2%(2,803)
Scotch-Irish0.8%(1,887)
Norwegian0.6%(1,389)
+ 48 more ancestry groups with data
Jamaican0.6%(1,291)
Russian0.5%(1,174)
British0.5%(1,122)
Greek0.5%(1,120)
Welsh0.4%(1,014)
Swedish0.4%(966)
Dutch0.4%(965)
Arab0.4%(932)
Nigerian0.3%(664)
Portuguese0.3%(630)
Ukrainian0.3%(606)
Haitian0.2%(522)
Lebanese0.2%(433)
Austrian0.2%(413)
Czech0.2%(407)
Hungarian0.2%(399)
Ghanaian0.2%(355)
Danish0.2%(353)
Lithuanian0.1%(295)
Swiss0.1%(247)
Turkish0.1%(247)
Slovak0.1%(246)
Canadian0.1%(231)
Serbian0.1%(169)
Guyanese0.1%(161)
Iranian0.1%(161)
Syrian0.1%(158)
Finnish0.1%(147)
Ethiopian0.1%(135)
Belgian0.1%(133)
Moroccan0.1%(130)
Brazilian0%(93)
Romanian0%(89)
Bulgarian0%(65)
Croatian0%(63)
Kenyan0%(61)
Armenian0%(50)
Slovene0%(40)
Barbadian0%(36)
Iraqi0%(28)
Jordanian0%(22)
Israeli0%(15)
Somali0%(10)
RANKED:Largest German population · Largest English population · Largest Irish population · Largest American population · Largest Mexican population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
33.5%
+13.9 ptssince 2000
from 19.6% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
90.2%
+11.9 ptssince 2000
from 78.4% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
14.1%
+6.4 ptssince 2000
from 7.7% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
23.0 min
+71%since 2000
from 13.4 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
70.6%
+2.3 ptssince 2009
from 68.2% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
9.5%
−2.1 ptssince 2009
from 11.6% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
2.6%
−1.6 ptssince 2009
from 4.2% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
10.2%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 9.9% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
5.0%
+0.7 ptssince 2009
from 4.3% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.6%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 0.4% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
11.5%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 11.3% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
5.7%
−4.7 ptssince 2011
from 10.4% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
69.8%
−0.4 ptssince 2011
from 70.2% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Self-employed
13.1%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 13.2% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
40.0%
−24.3 ptssince 2009
from 64.3% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
50.7%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 50.7% in 2009
Female
49.3%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 49.3% in 2009
Foreign born
7.9%
+1.7 ptssince 2009
from 6.2% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
14.2%
−32.0 ptssince 2009
from 46.1% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
15.1%
+2.9 ptssince 2012
from 12.2% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
9.1%
−73.4 ptssince 2013
from 82.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
88.8%
+9.9 ptssince 2017
from 78.9% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
English only at home
88.2%
−1.5 ptssince 2016
from 89.6% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
5.9%
+0.9 ptssince 2016
from 5.0% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married48%(46,912)
Married40%(39,080)
Widowed2.3%(2,258)
Divorced9.6%(9,400)
Women 15+
Never married41%(39,087)
Married36.9%(35,233)
Widowed7.5%(7,108)
Divorced14.6%(13,932)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Explore

Neighborhoods in Norfolk

Bayview BeachDowntownEast Ocean ViewFairmount ParkGhentNorthsideRooseveltWards CornerNeighborhoods in Norfolk
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Head to head

Compare Norfolk to nearby cities

NORFOLK VS
Portsmouth
Income$60,491−8%
Home value$246,900−15%
Population96,777−58%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
NORFOLK VS
Hampton
Income$69,621+5%
Home value$245,700−15%
Population137,315−41%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
NORFOLK VS
Poquoson
Income$120,972+83%
Home value$400,300+38%
Population13,292−94%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
NORFOLK VS
Carrollton
Income$110,956+68%
Home value$423,900+46%
Population8,436−96%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Norfolk, Virginia?

Norfolk, Virginia has about 233,596 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Norfolk, Virginia?

The typical household in Norfolk, Virginia earns about $66,109 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Norfolk, Virginia expensive?

In Norfolk, Virginia, the median home is worth about $289,900, and the typical rent is about $1,321 a month.

How educated are people in Norfolk, Virginia?

About 33.5% of adults age 25 and over in Norfolk, Virginia hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Norfolk, Virginia?

About 16.5% of people in Norfolk, Virginia live below the federal poverty line.

Has Norfolk, Virginia grown since 1990?

Yes, Norfolk, Virginia has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 27,633 residents, a change of about -11 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →

Norfolk, Virginia: demographics, income & housing data · CensusEasy