Baltimore receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Norfolk
Baltimore
Opportunity
40 · Bottom 16%
vs47 · Bottom 28%
Growth
32 · Bottom 19%
vs26 · Bottom 11%
Climate
76 · Top 30%
vs71 · Top 46%
Physical resilience
82 · Top 20%
vs91 · Top 9%
Housing affordability
71 · Bottom 43%
vs75 · Bottom 49%
Access
88 · Bottom 30%
vs98 · Top 25%
Economic stability
55 · Bottom 38%
vs40 · Bottom 14%
Measured values
| Metric | Norfolk | Baltimore | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 233,596 | 573,243 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $66,109 | $62,177 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $39,457 | $40,604 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,385/sq mi | 7,082/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $289,900 | $229,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,321 | $1,331 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 46.3% | 47.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% | 5.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.0% | 0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33.5% | 36.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.5% | 19.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 483 | 885 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.1 | 1.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 50.0% | -29.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 89°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 34°F | 30°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 45.7" | 43.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 20 mi | 9 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.4 min | 31.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 32.7 | 36.2 | 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
Norfolk
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, coastal flooding.
Baltimore
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Full profiles: Norfolk, VA · Baltimore, MD · How this is calculated: methodology