23701 and 23502 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
23701
23502
Opportunity
30 · Bottom 9%
vs35 · Bottom 14%
Growth
33 · Bottom 22%
vs31 · Bottom 19%
Climate
76 · Top 28%
vs75 · Top 31%
Physical resilience
82 · Top 20%
vs82 · Top 20%
Housing affordability
75 · Bottom 42%
vs67 · Bottom 31%
Schools
32 · Bottom 26%
vs26 · Bottom 17%
Access
86 · Bottom 31%
vs85 · Bottom 29%
Economic stability
50 · Bottom 33%
vs59 · Bottom 49%
Measured values
| Metric | 23701 | 23502 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 24,298 | 20,399 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $62,349 | $63,208 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $32,768 | $34,643 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,147/sq mi | 2,059/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $235,200 | $266,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,305 | $1,398 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 69.0% | 45.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.7% | 4.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.0% | -2.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.5% | 23.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.3% | 16.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 167 | 483 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.7 | 2.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -26.4% | 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 | 45.7" | 49.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 23 mi | 25 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.1 min | 24.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.9 | 37.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 8 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.22 | 12.34 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 32.7% | 25.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 51.3% | 44.7% | 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
23701
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, coastal flooding.
23502
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, coastal flooding.
Full profiles: 23701 — Portsmouth, VA · 23502 — Norfolk, VA · How this is calculated: methodology