23703 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
23518
23703
Opportunity
43 · Bottom 25%
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
81 · Top 49%
vs83 · Top 46%
Schools
30 · Bottom 23%
vs46 · Bottom 43%
Access
87 · Bottom 33%
vs90 · Bottom 39%
Economic stability
70 · Top 31%
vs69 · Top 33%
Measured values
| Metric | 23518 | 23703 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 29,746 | 25,610 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $77,594 | $78,707 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $49,056 | $40,712 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,851/sq mi | 1,838/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $300,700 | $295,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,425 | $1,432 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 59.0% | 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 | 34.3% | 32.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.7% | 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 | 27.0 min | 24.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.4 | 35.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 5 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.49 | 14.89 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 26.3% | 43.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 54.0% | 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
23518
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, coastal flooding.
23703
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, coastal flooding.
Full profiles: 23518 — Norfolk, VA · 23703 — Portsmouth, VA · How this is calculated: methodology