23505 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
23704
23505
Opportunity
27 · Bottom 7%
vs36 · Bottom 15%
Growth
33 · Bottom 22%
vs31 · Bottom 19%
Climate
75 · Top 31%
vs76 · Top 28%
Physical resilience
82 · Top 20%
vs82 · Top 20%
Housing affordability
51 · Bottom 13%
vs53 · Bottom 15%
Schools
18 · Bottom 8%
vs24 · Bottom 15%
Access
86 · Bottom 30%
vs89 · Bottom 37%
Economic stability
45 · Bottom 27%
vs61 · Top 48%
Measured values
| Metric | 23704 | 23505 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 19,207 | 28,247 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $49,583 | $58,579 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $33,101 | $39,123 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,249/sq mi | 4,299/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $230,300 | $326,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,310 | $1,334 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 40.2% | 37.2% | 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 | 24.9% | 33.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 23.6% | 14.3% | 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 | 49.2" | 45.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 23 mi | 19 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.5 min | 24.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.9 | 32.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 3 | 5 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.51 | 14.92 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 12.8% | 28.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 39.6% | 48.5% | 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
23704
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, coastal flooding.
23505
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, coastal flooding.
Full profiles: 23704 — Portsmouth, VA · 23505 — Norfolk, VA · How this is calculated: methodology