Baltimore receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Baltimore
Norfolk
Opportunity
46 · Bottom 28%
vs41 · Bottom 17%
Growth
18 · Bottom 5%
vs26 · Bottom 13%
Climate
71 · Top 46%
vs76 · Top 29%
Physical resilience
91 · Top 7%
vs82 · Top 15%
Housing affordability
75 · Top 39%
vs71 · Top 43%
Access
98 · Top 31%
vs88 · Bottom 13%
Economic stability
40 · Bottom 11%
vs55 · Top 47%
Measured values
| Metric | Baltimore | Norfolk | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 573,243 | 233,596 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $62,177 | $66,109 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $40,604 | $39,457 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 7,082/sq mi | 4,385/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $229,600 | $289,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,331 | $1,321 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 47.5% | 46.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.5% | 4.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.4% | -2.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 36.1% | 33.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 19.7% | 16.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 885 | 483 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.5 | 2.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -29.8% | 50.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 89°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 30°F | 34°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 43.7" | 45.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 9 mi | 20 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 31.0 min | 24.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.2 | 32.7 | 2024 ACS 5-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
Baltimore
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Norfolk
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, coastal flooding.
Full profiles: Baltimore, MD · Norfolk, VA · How this is calculated: methodology