Norfolk vs Portsmouth, VA: growth, jobs and income compared
Norfolk is holding level while Portsmouth is shrinking: −0.0% vs −0.1% between 2024 and 2025. Norfolk lost 92 residents and Portsmouth lost 68 residents (Census Bureau population estimates).
Data as of 2025 · updated
Side by side
| Measure | Norfolk | Portsmouth |
|---|---|---|
| Population2025 | 231,013 Larger | 96,777 |
| Population change2020–25 | −2.9% | −1.2% Higher |
| Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents2025 | −7.9 | −1.6 Higher |
| Private-sector job growth2018–23 | +1.7% Higher | −1.6% |
| Median household income2020–24 | $66,109 Higher | $60,491 |
| Unemployment rate2025 | 4.0% Lower | 4.3% |
| New homes permitted per 1,000 residents2025 | 0.7 | 1.8 Higher |
The tag marks the stronger figure in each row: the higher one, or the lower one for the unemployment rate ("Larger" is only the head count). Changes compare the latest period with five years earlier. – means no figure, or a base too small for a change or rate (it would swing on a few people). A figure from another period shows its year and is left out of the comparison.
The two counties share a border, and both are part of the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC metro area.
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Questions
Is Norfolk or Portsmouth growing faster?
Norfolk is holding level while Portsmouth is shrinking: −0.0% vs −0.1% between 2024 and 2025. Norfolk lost 92 residents and Portsmouth lost 68 residents (Census Bureau population estimates).
Which has the higher median household income, Norfolk or Portsmouth?
Norfolk: $66,109, against $60,491 in Portsmouth (American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–24).
Which has the lower unemployment rate, Norfolk or Portsmouth?
Norfolk: 4.0%, against 4.3% in Portsmouth (2025 annual average, BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics).
Where they rank in the state
More comparisons
Sources and method
- U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program (Vintage 2025)
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics
- U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates
- U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns
Each number shows its own period. Changes compare the latest period with five years earlier (or the earliest period available). Beacon CRE last refreshed these figures on 2026-11-05. Figures come from public federal statistics and are informational only, not investment advice. Check the source before relying on a number. Methodology: how we compute every number. More on every layer: data sources and licences.