Residential comparison · 13 facts
Norfolk, VA vs Portsmouth, VA
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Norfolk needs about $85,000 in Portsmouth to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Portsmouth, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $85,000 in Norfolk.
A few differences
- Norfolk is higher on median household income ($66,109 vs $60,491).
- Portsmouth is lower on cost of living index (92 vs 94).
- Portsmouth is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($1,252/mo vs $1,256/mo).
Norfolk vs Portsmouth · facet by facet
| Facet | Norfolk, VA | Portsmouth, VA |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $289,900 | $246,900 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,256/mo | $1,252/mo |
| Property tax rate | 0.87% | 0.87% |
| State & local income tax | 4.36% | 4.36% |
| Sales tax | 5.75% | 5.75% |
| Cost of living index | 94 | 92 |
| Groceries index | 100 | 100 |
| Utilities | $175/mo | $175/mo |
| Median household income | $66,109 | $60,491 |
| Unemployment rate | 2.9% | 2.9% |
| Crime index | 32/100 | 32/100 |
| School rating | 6.8/10 | 6.8/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 210 days | 210 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Norfolk, VA · Portsmouth, VA
Questions & answers
- Is Norfolk cheaper than Portsmouth?
- Portsmouth has the lower day-to-day cost index (92 vs 94 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Portsmouth equals $85,000 in Norfolk?
- A household earning $85,000 in Norfolk needs about $85,000 in Portsmouth to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Portsmouth lifestyle costs about $85,000 in Norfolk.