Poquoson receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Poquoson
Norfolk
Opportunity
62 · Top 38%
vs40 · Bottom 18%
Growth
57 · Top 37%
vs34 · Bottom 22%
Climate
79 · Top 19%
vs76 · Top 26%
Physical resilience
47 · Bottom 37%
vs82 · Top 20%
Housing affordability
97 · Top 16%
vs71 · Bottom 35%
Schools
90 · Top 4%
vs23 · Bottom 15%
Access
94 · Top 41%
vs88 · Bottom 37%
Economic stability
73 · Top 21%
vs55 · Bottom 40%
Measured values
| Metric | Poquoson | Norfolk | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,639 | 233,596 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $120,972 | $66,109 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $51,194 | $39,457 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 823/sq mi | 4,385/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $400,300 | $289,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,707 | $1,321 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 84.6% | 46.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.5% | 4.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.0% | -2.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 36.3% | 33.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 4.5% | 16.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 88 | 483 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 7.0 | 2.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -5.4% | 50.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 87°F | 89°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 32°F | 34°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 47.8" | 45.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 10 mi | 20 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.6 min | 24.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.2 | 32.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 4 | 53 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.30 | 13.48 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 81.4% | 26.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 86.9% | 49.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 23.7% | 98.0% | 2024-25 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
Poquoson
Elevated or high exposure: coastal flooding, hurricane.
Norfolk
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, coastal flooding.
Full profiles: Poquoson, VA · Norfolk, VA · How this is calculated: methodology