23608 and 23602 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
23608
23602
Opportunity
41 · Bottom 22%
vs45 · Bottom 30%
Growth
11 · Bottom 2%
vs11 · Bottom 2%
Climate
78 · Top 21%
vs78 · Top 21%
Physical resilience
84 · Top 17%
vs84 · Top 17%
Housing affordability
84 · Top 44%
vs82 · Top 47%
Schools
27 · Bottom 19%
vs20 · Bottom 10%
Access
95 · Top 43%
vs95 · Top 43%
Economic stability
63 · Top 45%
vs63 · Top 43%
Measured values
| Metric | 23608 | 23602 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 43,641 | 42,265 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $71,126 | $79,475 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $35,742 | $51,569 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,060/sq mi | 3,214/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $266,500 | $288,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,265 | $1,511 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 49.6% | 53.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.3% | 4.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.0% | -2.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29.0% | 37.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.5% | 13.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 86 | 86 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.5 | 0.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -84.4% | -84.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 88°F | 88°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 31°F | 31°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 45.1" | 45.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 3 mi | 2 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.7 min | 26.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.1 | 35.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 13 | 7 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.20 | 16.47 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 35.1% | 27.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 51.3% | 47.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 98.1% | 98.3% | 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
23608
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
23602
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Full profiles: 23608 — Newport News, VA · 23602 — Newport News, VA · How this is calculated: methodology