Chesapeake vs Norfolk
Chesapeake, Virginia versus Norfolk, Virginia: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Chesapeake and Norfolk score about the same overall (49 vs 47 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Chesapeake | Norfolk |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $93k | $61k |
| Cost of Living | $61k | $51k |
| Home Value | $340k | $254k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.84% | 1.02% |
| Income Tax | 5.80% | 5.80% |
| Sales Tax | 5.77% | 5.77% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 10.79% | 11.94% |
| Unemployment | 5.0% | 6.7% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 43°F | 42°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 81°F | 81°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 54.0 in | 53.3 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 6.2 in | 6.2 in |
| Sunny Days | 242 days | 242 days |
| Summer Humidity | 70°F | 70°F |
| Comfortable Days | 89 days | 89 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 39.5 | 5.1 |
| Air Quality | 45 AQI | 45 AQI |
| School Quality | 51.1 | 54.8 |
| Violent Crime | 1850/100k | 2178/100k |
| Property Crime | 2017/100k | 4898/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 249,377 | 236,973 |
| Median Age | 37.4 | 32.2 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.58 | 0.63 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.97 | 1.04 |
| Political Leaning | Even | D+47 |
| White (%) | 55.2% | 42.2% |
| Black (%) | 28.6% | 40.1% |
| Hispanic (%) | 7.0% | 8.7% |
| Asian (%) | 3.6% | 3.8% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 5.6% | 5.2% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 26 min | 23 min |
| Walkability | 9.4/20 | 13.3/20 |
| Airport Distance | 14 mi | 3 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 92.5% | 86.1% |
| Amenities Nearby | 8.54 | 19.71 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Limited |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Chesapeake or Norfolk more affordable?
- Norfolk has the lower cost of living: its index is $51k, compared with Chesapeake's $61k and Norfolk's $51k. Median rent is $1k in Chesapeake versus $1k in Norfolk.
- Is Chesapeake or Norfolk safer?
- Chesapeake has the lower violent crime rate. Chesapeake reports 1850/100k and Norfolk reports 2178/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Chesapeake or Norfolk?
- The median home value is $340k in Chesapeake and $254k in Norfolk, so homes are more affordable in Norfolk.