Smart Movers Club

    Moving to Norfolk, VA

    Is Norfolk a good place to live?

    Watch Norfolk

    Norfolk ranks #43 of 45 Virginia cities with 25,000+ people on the Smart Movers livability score (24/100), which weighs home affordability, unemployment, education and population growth. Population fell 0.8% in the latest Census year.

    Median home value
    $271,900
    +7.0% vs prior year
    Median rent
    $1,246
    per month
    Household income
    $64,017
    median
    Unemployment
    6.1%
    lower is better

    Cost of living in Norfolk

    The median home value in Norfolk is $271,900 and median rent is $1,246 a month, against a median household income of $64,017. Homes cost about 4.2× a year of income (under 3× is considered affordable).

    Norfolk crime rate

    City-level FBI figures vary by agency; across Virginia the 2025 rate was 210 violent and 1,394 property crimes per 100,000 people — #33 highest of 50 states. The full report breaks down local trends.

    Moving to Norfolk, VA

    Norfolk has about 235,037 residents, 6.1% unemployment and 19% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher.

    Compare Norfolk with

    Norfolk vs Virginia BeachNorfolk vs ChesapeakeNorfolk vs ArlingtonNorfolk vs RichmondNorfolk vs Newport NewsNorfolk vs AlexandriaNorfolk vs HamptonNorfolk vs Roanoke

    More: Where to move in Virginia · Best counties in Virginia

    Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimates (2023, compared with 2022); FBI Crime Data Explorer.

    Home listings, local news, migration, schools, resources and the Smart Movers Grade & Verdict.

    See the full Smart Movers Club report