Norfolk VA
Virginia · Pop. 233,596
Norfolk, VA: median household income of $66,109, median rent of $1,321/mo, 5.7% unemployment. Our verdict: It Depends.
Score Breakdown
Key Metrics
Median Income
$66,109
per year
Median Rent
$1,321
per month
Median Home
$290k
home value
Unemployment
5.7%
of labor force
Poverty Rate
16.5%
below poverty line
Avg. Commute
23 min
one way
City Reality Check honest
"Norfolk, VA Reality Check"
In Norfolk, the rent-to-income burden runs around 24% — refreshingly manageable by national standards. Median income sits at $66,109 and median rent is $1,321/month. 53% of renters are cost-burdened (30%+ of income on housing). Landlords are winning; everyone else is treading water. Median home value: $289,900 — that's 4.4× the median income. Employment picture: 5.70% unemployment — a average employment landscape. Poverty rate: 16.5%. Average commute: 23 minutes — acceptable. Norfolk was founded in 1682 — that's 344 years of history baked into the streets. The city covers 96.4 sq miles at 2,424 people/sq mile — spread out. Elevation: 33 ft — essentially flat — floods are a real conversation. Norfolk has 6 sister cities — cosmopolitan on paper, at least. RoastMyCity overall score: 63/100 — It Depends.