Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Norfolk, VA
VS
Portsmouth, VA
🏆 Norfolk leads 14 of 21 categories
Norfolk
Virginia
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4
Median Household Income
$60,998 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
124⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
236,973 ✓ Larger
Portsmouth
Virginia
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4
Median Household Income
$57,154
Violent Crime Index
198⚠ High
Population
97,384
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Norfolk, VA
Pros
38% less violent crime than Portsmouth
More college-educated — 32.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
Households earn $3,844 more per year on average
Cons
Violent crime (469.5/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3772.5/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Portsmouth, VA
Pros
Homes cost $41k less ($213,300 vs $254,200)
Cons
Violent crime (752.4/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3860.8/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Median income trails Norfolk by $3,844/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Norfolk
Median Income
$3,844
$60,998 vs $57,154/yr
Norfolk
Violent Crime
38% lower
469.5 vs 752.4 per 100k
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 97.4 on the COL index
Portsmouth
Median Home Value
$41k less
$213,300 vs $254,200
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Norfolk, VA | Portsmouth, VA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 97.4 | 97.4 |
| Median Home Value | $254,200 | $213,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,188 ✓ Lower | $1,225 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $60,998 ✓ Higher | $57,154 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.7%⚠ High | 6.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.7 min ✓ Shorter | 23.2 min |
| Work From Home % | 7.3% ✓ Higher | 6.6% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 146⚠ High ✓ Safer | 192⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 124⚠ High ✓ Safer | 198⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 180⚠ High ✓ Safer | 184⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (103) ✓ Better | B- (94) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.9:1 ✓ Smaller | 13.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 32.2% ✓ Higher | 21.2% |
| High School or Higher | 89.3% | 89.5% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Norfolk City Public Schools | Portsmouth City Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 50.0°F ✓ Warmer | 48.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 88.7°F ✓ Warmer | 88.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 45.7" ✓ Drier | 50.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.0" | 3.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 236,973 ✓ Larger | 97,384 |
| Median Age | 32.2 | 35.6 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 44.8% | 56.1% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 20.3% | 23.1% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 12.3% | 15.1% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Norfolk's cost of living index is 97.4 vs Portsmouth's 97.4 (US average = 100).
Both have a similar overall cost of living.
Based on the 21 decided categories above, Norfolk leads 14 of 21 categories. Norfolk wins 14 and Portsmouth wins 7. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Norfolk to Portsmouth or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($254,200 vs $213,300 median home), income ($60,998 vs $57,154), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Norfolk, VA and Portsmouth, VA are about 8 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.