23503 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
23502
23503
Opportunity
35 · Bottom 14%
vs39 · Bottom 19%
Growth
31 · Bottom 19%
vs31 · Bottom 19%
Climate
75 · Top 31%
vs76 · Top 28%
Physical resilience
82 · Top 20%
vs82 · Top 20%
Housing affordability
67 · Bottom 31%
vs77 · Bottom 45%
Schools
26 · Bottom 17%
vs37 · Bottom 32%
Access
85 · Bottom 29%
vs90 · Bottom 39%
Economic stability
59 · Bottom 49%
vs65 · Top 40%
Measured values
| Metric | 23502 | 23503 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 20,399 | 30,216 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $63,208 | $67,649 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $34,643 | $42,758 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,059/sq mi | 5,988/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $266,200 | $293,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,398 | $1,224 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 45.0% | 47.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% | 4.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.0% | -2.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.4% | 31.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.6% | 11.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 483 | 483 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.1 | 2.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 50.0% | 50.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 89°F | 89°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 34°F | 34°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 49.2" | 45.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 25 mi | 18 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.5 min | 29.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.3 | 35.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.34 | 13.31 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 25.6% | 32.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 44.7% | 58.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 97.0% | 97.2% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
23502
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, coastal flooding.
23503
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, coastal flooding.
Full profiles: 23502 — Norfolk, VA · 23503 — Norfolk, VA · How this is calculated: methodology