CountyScore

Norfolk city

Virginia · VA

#127 in Virginia
59.7
County Score

County Report Card

About Norfolk city, Virginia

Moderately above national livability standard

Norfolk scores 61.8 out of 100, roughly 24% higher than the national median of 50.0 but trailing Virginia's strongest performers. The city demonstrates baseline livability with identifiable challenges.

Lower-ranking among Virginia jurisdictions

Norfolk scores 61.8 versus Virginia's average of 70.3, placing it among the state's lower-performing regions. The city's score reflects urban pressures and economic constraints affecting livability.

Urban affordability and moderate taxes

Norfolk's cost score of 61.8 offers modest affordability with median homes at $271,900 and rents at $1,246 per month. The tax score of 73.9 and effective rate of 1.007% provide manageable financial obligations.

Lowest incomes and urban pressures

Norfolk's income score of 25.2 reflects a median household income of $64,017, the lowest in this group. Data gaps on schools, health, safety, and environmental factors prevent comprehensive livability assessment of urban challenges.

Fits urban professionals with modest means

Norfolk suits younger professionals, service workers, and military personnel seeking urban access and walkability on limited budgets. The city appeals to those valuing urban culture and employment opportunity over maximum livability metrics.

Score breakdown

5 dimensions have live data. 3 more coming as vertical sites launch.

Tax73.9Cost61.8SafetyComing SoonHealth67.7SchoolsComing SoonIncome25.2Risk18.8WaterComing Soon
🏛73.9
Property Tax
Effective property tax rate vs national benchmarks
TaxByCounty →
🏠61.8
Cost of Living
Median rent, home values, and housing affordability
CostByCounty →
💼25.2
Income & Jobs
Median household income and per capita earnings
IncomeByCounty →
🛡Coming Soon
Safety
Violent and property crime rates per 100K residents
❤67.7
Health
Life expectancy, uninsured rates, and health access
HealthByCounty →
🎓Coming Soon
Schools
Graduation rates, per-pupil spending, and attainment
⚡18.8
Disaster Risk
FEMA National Risk Index — flood, fire, tornado, and more
RiskByCounty →
💧Coming Soon
Water Quality
EPA drinking water health violations and safety grades

Explore this county

Property Taxtaxbycounty.comCost of Livingcostbycounty.comIncomeincomebycounty.com
Compare Norfolk city with another county →

Counties with similar scores

Fresno County
California
59.7
Median income: $71,434
Merced County
California
59.7
Median income: $65,044
Nevada County
California
59.7
Median income: $84,905
Lee County
Florida
59.7
Median income: $73,099
Dauphin County
Pennsylvania
59.7
Median income: $74,159

Deep Dives

Norfolk city across the ByCounty Network

Detailed analysis from 5 data dimensions — each powered by a dedicated ByCounty site.

Property Tax in Norfolk city

via TaxByCounty

Norfolk taxes rank among America's highest

Norfolk's effective tax rate of 1.007% sits in the nation's top percentile, with a median tax of $2,738 that slightly exceeds the national median of $2,690. The city's substantial tax burden reflects its status as a major urban center with significant infrastructure costs.

Second-highest tax rate in Virginia

Norfolk's effective rate of 1.007% ranks second only to Newport News in Virginia, nearly 50% above the state average of 0.671%. Its median tax of $2,738 exceeds the state average by 40%, making it one of the costliest jurisdictions for property owners statewide.

Norfolk and Newport News dominate locally

Norfolk's 1.007% rate matches Newport News's burden (1.030%) and vastly exceeds rural neighbors like Northampton (0.605%), Northumberland (0.481%), and Middlesex (0.564%). The two independent cities carry the region's highest effective rates due to urban service demands.

Norfolk homeowner's annual tax obligation

A median-valued Norfolk home at $271,900 carries an annual property tax of approximately $2,738. That translates to about $228 per month—among the nation's heaviest property tax burdens on a per-home basis.

Norfolk homeowners: explore assessment appeals

With such substantial annual tax bills, Norfolk residents should verify their assessments are accurate and current—a free appeal can challenge inflated valuations. In a changing real estate market, many homeowners find their assessed values no longer match true market value.

Full property tax analysis on TaxByCounty

Cost of Living in Norfolk city

via CostByCounty

Norfolk rents strain lower-income households

Norfolk's 23.4% rent-to-income ratio ranks among the nation's affordability challenges, exceeding Virginia's 18.6% state average and the national norm. With a median household income of $64,017—more than $10,000 below the national median—Norfolk residents face mounting pressure from $1,246 monthly rents.

Virginia's least affordable major city

Norfolk ranks at the bottom of Virginia's affordability ladder, with a 23.4% rent-to-income ratio that exceeds all state peers in our sample and reflects severe housing cost stress. The combination of lower incomes and urban-level rents creates substantial affordability challenges.

Priciest city with lowest incomes

Norfolk's $1,246 median rent rivals Newport News ($1,285) while the city's median income ($64,017) trails both Newport News ($66,718) and every surrounding rural county. This unfavorable pairing—high rents, lower incomes—makes Norfolk measurably less affordable than neighbors like Northampton ($780 rent) or Nelson ($950 rent).

Housing eats more than one-fifth of pay

Renters dedicate $1,246 monthly to housing on a median income of $64,017, consuming 23.4% of earnings and creating genuine financial strain. Homeowners confront an even steeper climb at $1,568 monthly (29.3% of income), placing homeownership out of reach for median-income households.

Urban vitality requires housing sacrifice

Norfolk's major employment, cultural, and military opportunities come with a 23.4% rent-to-income ratio—the highest affordability burden in our sample. Budget generously for housing (expect $1,246+ monthly rent) or explore more affordable neighborhoods in surrounding counties with shorter commutes.

Full cost of living analysis on CostByCounty

Income & Jobs in Norfolk city

via IncomeByCounty

Norfolk's income below national average

Norfolk's median household income of $64,017 trails the national median of $74,755 by $10,738, placing Virginia's largest city in the lower quartile of U.S. metros. The per capita income of $37,433 reflects Norfolk's dense, diverse population with significant low-wage service sector employment.

Norfolk lags Virginia's standard

At $64,017, Norfolk earns $10,940 below Virginia's state average of $74,957, ranking it among the state's lower-income jurisdictions. The city's large urban footprint includes pockets of poverty and working-class neighborhoods that pull the overall median down.

Lowest among peer localities

Norfolk's $64,017 income ranks just below Newport News ($66,718) and substantially trails all neighboring counties—Middlesex ($74,154), Northumberland ($69,500), and all others. The city anchors the lower end of the regional income spectrum.

Housing costs squeeze family budgets

Norfolk's rent-to-income ratio of 23.4% is among Virginia's highest, meaning housing consumes nearly a quarter of median earnings. With a median home value of $271,900, many Norfolk households struggle to balance homeownership with savings and debt repayment.

Build wealth despite tight margins

Norfolk residents face the toughest affordability challenges in this comparison, demanding aggressive budgeting and creative wealth-building strategies. Focus on employer benefits, side income opportunities, and micro-saving methods—even $25–50 weekly into savings compounds into meaningful emergency funds and long-term security.

Full income & jobs analysis on IncomeByCounty

Health in Norfolk city

via HealthByCounty

Life expectancy significantly below national average

Norfolk residents live an average of 73.3 years, more than 5.6 years shorter than the U.S. average of 78.9 years. With 19.3% reporting poor or fair health, the city faces one of the most serious health challenges in this profile.

Lowest life expectancy in Virginia profile

Norfolk's 73.3-year life expectancy falls 1.8 years below Virginia's 75.1-year average, and its 19.3% poor/fair health rate is the highest in this group. Despite an 8.2% uninsured rate near the state average of 7.9%, health outcomes remain critically low.

Abundant providers, stubborn health challenges

Norfolk leads this profile with 99 primary care providers and 328 mental health providers per 100,000 residents—exceptional supply by any measure. Yet these abundant providers have not reversed Norfolk's poor life expectancy, suggesting systemic barriers beyond access and coverage.

Provider abundance masks deeper struggles

Norfolk residents enjoy among the best provider access and near-universal coverage (8.2% uninsured), yet health outcomes remain the poorest in this profile. This disconnect points to poverty, food insecurity, housing instability, and untreated substance use as drivers of poor health—issues that providers alone cannot solve.

Coverage is essential, community matters more

If you're uninsured in Norfolk, healthcare.gov and Virginia Medicaid are your first steps toward coverage and access to care. Beyond insurance, seek out community health centers, food banks, and addiction treatment programs—they address the root causes of poor health in our city.

Full health analysis on HealthByCounty

Disaster Risk in Norfolk city

via RiskByCounty

Norfolk faces the nation's highest hazard exposure

Norfolk's composite risk score of 81.23 ranks it as Relatively Moderate nationally and places it among America's most disaster-exposed major cities. Your community experiences significantly above-average exposure to multiple concurrent natural hazards.

Virginia's highest-risk profiled locality

At 81.23, Norfolk's score is more than double Virginia's average of 33.27, making it the state's most hazardous community in this analysis. No other Virginia locality profiled here comes close to your risk exposure level.

Hazard severity significantly exceeds all peers

Norfolk (81.23) stands far above Newport News (72.23) and every rural county profiled, reflecting its position as one of America's largest naval ports. Your urban waterfront geography creates compounded exposure to hurricanes, floods, and seismic activity.

Hurricane and flood threats are critical

Hurricane risk reaches 92.95—among the nation's highest—while flood risk scores 82.40, reflecting your position at sea level and tidal influence. Tornado (74.14) and earthquake (78.15) threats also rank dangerously high for a coastal city.

Multi-layered insurance is absolutely essential

Flood and hurricane insurance aren't luxuries in Norfolk—they're mandatory safeguards given your 82.40 flood and 92.95 hurricane scores. Invest in serious elevation, storm-resistant modifications, emergency supplies, and verified coverage from multiple providers; review policies quarterly rather than annually.

Full disaster risk analysis on RiskByCounty

ByCounty Network

🏛Property Tax🏠Cost of Living💼Income & Jobs🛡Safety❤Health🎓Schools⚡Disaster Risk💧Water Quality

Data from U.S. Census Bureau ACS, FBI UCR, CDC, FEMA NRI, NCES, EPA SDWIS — informational only.