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COUNTY · 2000 CENSUS

Norfolk

Virginia · 234,403 residents · 53.3 sq mi
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The short version

Norfolk is home to 234,403 people in Virginia. Owners hold 46% of the housing stock. This skews young, with a median age of 29.6. Households here earn about 32% less than in Virginia as a whole. The poverty rate is 19.4%, above the 12.4% national rate. The typical home is worth $88,300.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $42,589
Younger
median age 29.6
US median: 35.2
Less educated
20% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 24%
More affordable
home values down 9%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $120,530
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
234,403
−10%since 1990
from 261,229 in 1990
1990 – 2025
Median age
29.6
+8%since 1990
from 27.5 in 1990
US average: 35.2
Land area
53.3 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
231K239K247K256K264K19902000201020202024Norfolk
2024234K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2000
Under 57.1%(16,546)
US avg: 6.8%
5 to 97%(16,508)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 146.4%(15,072)
US avg: 7.3%
15 to 198.1%(18,926)
US avg: 7.2%
20 to 2413.6%(31,983)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3415.6%(36,620)
US avg: 14.2%
35 to 4414.3%(33,569)
US avg: 16%
45 to 5410.7%(25,010)
US avg: 13.4%
55 to 646.2%(14,637)
US avg: 8.6%
65 to 745.5%(12,979)
US avg: 6.5%
75 to 844.1%(9,693)
US avg: 4.4%
85 and over1.2%(2,860)
US avg: 1.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$31,815
+2%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $23,563 in 1990
US average: $42,589
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$17,372
+49%since 1990
from $11,643 in 1990
US average: $21,522
Poverty rate
19.4%
+0.1 ptssince 1990
from 19.3% in 1990
US average: 12.4%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$88,300
−9%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $73,500 in 1990
US average: $120,530
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$538
−7%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $438 in 1990
US average: $602
Owner-occupied
45.5%
+1.5 ptssince 1990
from 44.0% in 1990
54.5% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

1990
White, non-Hispanic56.7%(148,132)
Black39.1%(102,135)
Hispanic / Latino2.8%(7,240)
Asian2.6%(6,680)
2000
White, non-Hispanic47%(110,221)
Black43.6%(102,268)
Hispanic / Latino3.8%(8,915)
Asian2.8%(6,477)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

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)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
19.6%
+2.8 ptssince 1990
from 16.8% in 1990
US average: 24.4%
High school or higher
78.4%
+5.7 ptssince 1990
from 72.7% in 1990
US average: 80.3%
Graduate degree
7.7%
+1.9 ptssince 1990
from 5.8% in 1990
US average: 8.8%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
13.4 min
−60%since 1990
from 33.9 min in 1990
US average: 17.6
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status
Men 15+
Never married42.3%(40,210)
Married46.3%(43,996)
Widowed2.7%(2,571)
Divorced8.6%(8,182)
Women 15+
Never married31.5%(28,790)
Married45.5%(41,631)
Widowed11%(10,014)
Divorced12%(10,966)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2000
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured
9.1%
−8.4 ptssince 2013
from 17.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
45.5%
+0.6 ptssince 2020
from 44.9% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
10.5%
+0.1 ptssince 2020
from 10.4% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
16.4%
+1.6 ptssince 2020
from 14.8% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
24.2%
+3.7 ptssince 2020
from 20.5% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
5.4%
+1.4 ptssince 2020
from 4.0% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
64.2%
−1.0 ptssince 2020
from 65.2% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
40.3%
+5.6 ptssince 2020
from 34.7% in 2020
US average: 36.7%

Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.

Section 09 · Service history

Veterans

Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)50.9%(11,681)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)34.3%(7,880)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era20.6%(4,723)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War1.2%(268)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.3%(79)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 22,955 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper

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Head to head

Compare Norfolk to nearby counties

NORFOLK VS
Portsmouth
Income$60,491+90%
Home value$246,900+180%
Population96,777−58%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
NORFOLK VS
Hampton
Income$69,621+119%
Home value$245,700+178%
Population137,315−41%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
NORFOLK VS
Poquoson
Income$120,972+280%
Home value$400,300+353%
Population13,292−94%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
NORFOLK VS
Virginia Beach
Income$92,968+192%
Home value$382,500+333%
Population453,737+96%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Norfolk, Virginia?

Norfolk, Virginia has about 234,403 residents according to the 2000 Census.

What is the median household income in Norfolk, Virginia?

The typical household in Norfolk, Virginia earns about $31,815 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 $88,300, and the typical rent is about $538 a month.

How educated are people in Norfolk, Virginia?

About 19.6% 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 19.4% 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 26,826 residents, a change of about -10 percent over that period.

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

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