Suffolk receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Suffolk
Norfolk
Opportunity
52 · Bottom 41%
vs40 · Bottom 18%
Growth
62 · Top 30%
vs34 · Bottom 22%
Climate
76 · Top 26%
vs76 · Top 26%
Physical resilience
76 · Top 29%
vs82 · Top 20%
Housing affordability
86 · Top 40%
vs71 · Bottom 35%
Schools
41 · Bottom 37%
vs23 · Bottom 15%
Access
81 · Bottom 24%
vs88 · Bottom 37%
Economic stability
62 · Top 46%
vs55 · Bottom 40%
Measured values
| Metric | Suffolk | Norfolk | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 98,796 | 233,596 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $92,666 | $66,109 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $45,819 | $39,457 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 248/sq mi | 4,385/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $347,400 | $289,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,563 | $1,321 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 70.7% | 46.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 4.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.9% | -2.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33.3% | 33.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.4% | 16.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 608 | 483 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 6.2 | 2.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -9.5% | 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 | 45.7" | 45.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 31 mi | 20 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 32.7 min | 24.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.7 | 32.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 22 | 53 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.19 | 13.48 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 41.5% | 26.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 66.1% | 49.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 68.9% | 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
Suffolk
Elevated or high exposure: drought, hurricane.
Norfolk
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, coastal flooding.
Full profiles: Suffolk, VA · Norfolk, VA · How this is calculated: methodology