23503 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
23503
23701
Opportunity
39 · Bottom 19%
vs30 · Bottom 9%
Growth
31 · Bottom 19%
vs33 · Bottom 22%
Climate
76 · Top 28%
vs76 · Top 28%
Physical resilience
82 · Top 20%
vs82 · Top 20%
Housing affordability
77 · Bottom 45%
vs75 · Bottom 42%
Schools
37 · Bottom 32%
vs32 · Bottom 26%
Access
90 · Bottom 39%
vs86 · Bottom 31%
Economic stability
65 · Top 40%
vs50 · Bottom 33%
Measured values
| Metric | 23503 | 23701 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 30,216 | 24,298 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $67,649 | $62,349 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $42,758 | $32,768 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 5,988/sq mi | 3,147/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $293,100 | $235,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,224 | $1,305 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 47.4% | 69.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% | 4.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.0% | -2.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.4% | 21.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.2% | 12.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 483 | 167 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.1 | 1.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 50.0% | -26.4% | 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 | 45.7" | 45.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 18 mi | 23 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.0 min | 27.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.5 | 38.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 8 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.31 | 13.22 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 32.9% | 32.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 58.2% | 51.3% | 2019-20 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
23503
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, coastal flooding.
23701
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, coastal flooding.
Full profiles: 23503 — Norfolk, VA · 23701 — Portsmouth, VA · How this is calculated: methodology