Norfolk vs Portsmouth
Norfolk, Virginia versus Portsmouth, Virginia: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Norfolk and Portsmouth score about the same overall (47 vs 47 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Norfolk | Portsmouth |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $61k | $57k |
| Cost of Living | $51k | $52k |
| Home Value | $254k | $213k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.02% | 1.11% |
| Income Tax | 5.80% | 5.80% |
| Sales Tax | 5.77% | 5.77% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 11.94% | 11.86% |
| Unemployment | 6.7% | 6.6% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 42°F | 42°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 81°F | 81°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 53.3 in | 50.0 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 6.2 in | 3.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 242 days | 242 days |
| Summer Humidity | 70°F | 70°F |
| Comfortable Days | 89 days | 89 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 5.1 | 12.1 |
| Air Quality | 45 AQI | 44 AQI |
| School Quality | 54.8 | 45.4 |
| Violent Crime | 2178/100k | 2538/100k |
| Property Crime | 4898/100k | 4892/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 236,973 | 97,384 |
| Median Age | 32.2 | 35.6 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.63 | 0.59 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.04 | 0.93 |
| Political Leaning | D+47 | D+42 |
| White (%) | 42.2% | 36.4% |
| Black (%) | 40.1% | 51.0% |
| Hispanic (%) | 8.7% | 5.0% |
| Asian (%) | 3.8% | 1.4% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 5.2% | 6.2% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 23 min | 23 min |
| Walkability | 13.3/20 | 12.1/20 |
| Airport Distance | 3 mi | 9 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 86.1% | 86.2% |
| Amenities Nearby | 19.71 | 45.59 |
| Park & Nature Access | Limited | 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 Norfolk or Portsmouth more affordable?
- Norfolk has the lower cost of living: its index is $51k, compared with Norfolk's $51k and Portsmouth's $52k. Median rent is $1k in Norfolk versus $1k in Portsmouth.
- Is Norfolk or Portsmouth safer?
- Norfolk has the lower violent crime rate. Norfolk reports 2178/100k and Portsmouth reports 2538/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Norfolk or Portsmouth?
- The median home value is $254k in Norfolk and $213k in Portsmouth, so homes are more affordable in Portsmouth.