23509 and 23703 receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
23509
23703
Opportunity
40 · Bottom 21%
vs39 · Bottom 19%
Growth
31 · Bottom 19%
vs33 · Bottom 22%
Climate
75 · Top 31%
vs76 · Top 28%
Physical resilience
82 · Top 20%
vs82 · Top 20%
Housing affordability
85 · Top 42%
vs83 · Top 46%
Schools
57 · Top 43%
vs46 · Bottom 43%
Access
87 · Bottom 33%
vs90 · Bottom 39%
Economic stability
52 · Bottom 35%
vs69 · Top 33%
Measured values
| Metric | 23509 | 23703 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 13,105 | 25,610 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $72,816 | $78,707 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $41,635 | $40,712 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 5,151/sq mi | 1,838/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $258,000 | $295,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,326 | $1,432 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 62.2% | 69.9% | 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 | 30.0% | 32.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 15.2% | 9.5% | 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 | 49.2" | 45.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 21 mi | 18 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.9 min | 24.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.9 | 35.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 2 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.26 | 14.89 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 43.5% | 43.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 70.4% | 62.4% | 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
23509
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, coastal flooding.
23703
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, coastal flooding.
Full profiles: 23509 — Norfolk, VA · 23703 — Portsmouth, VA · How this is calculated: methodology