Norfolk receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Chicago
Norfolk
Opportunity
36 · Bottom 11%
vs40 · Bottom 16%
Growth
23 · Bottom 9%
vs32 · Bottom 19%
Climate
63 · Bottom 26%
vs76 · Top 30%
Physical resilience
69 · Top 36%
vs82 · Top 20%
Housing affordability
76 · Top 49%
vs71 · Bottom 43%
Access
94 · Bottom 47%
vs88 · Bottom 30%
Economic stability
52 · Bottom 32%
vs55 · Bottom 38%
Measured values
| Metric | Chicago | Norfolk | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 2,711,226 | 233,596 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $77,902 | $66,109 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $50,086 | $39,457 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 11,904/sq mi | 4,385/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $334,100 | $289,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,440 | $1,321 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 46.0% | 46.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.9% | 4.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -3.1% | -2.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 44.3% | 33.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.8% | 16.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 2,531 | 483 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.9 | 2.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -52.1% | 50.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 85°F | 89°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 19°F | 34°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 34.4" | 45.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 15 mi | 20 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 35.9 min | 24.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.8 | 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
Chicago
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Norfolk
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, coastal flooding.
Full profiles: Chicago, IL · Norfolk, VA · How this is calculated: methodology