Huntsville vs Norfolk
The short version
- Huntsville is cheaper overall: prices in its metro run 5% lower than in the Norfolk area (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $289,900 in Norfolk and $293,600 in Huntsville.
- Households earn more in Huntsville ($74,714 vs $66,109 median).
- Huntsville has more scorching days: 62 a year at 90°F or hotter vs 36.
- Huntsville is growing faster: +8.7% since 2020 vs -3%.
- Commutes are shorter in Huntsville (20 vs 23 minutes each way).
Side by side
| Huntsville, AL | Norfolk, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 233,627 | 231,013 |
| Growth since 2020 | +8.7% | -3% |
| People per square mile | 1,037 | 4,336 |
| Median age | 36.9 | 32.7 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 47% | 34% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $74,714 | $66,109 |
| Median home value | $293,600 | $289,900 |
| Home value to income | 3.9× | 4.4× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,171 | $1,321 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 93.1 | 97.9 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 77.9 | 99.8 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $69,800 | $73,500 |
| Homeowners | 58% | 46% |
| Top state income tax | 5% | 5.75% |
| Combined sales tax | 9.46% | 5.77% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 19.7 | 23.0 |
| Work from home | 15% | 10% |
| Take public transit | 0% | 3% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 4.1% | 5.7% |
| Poverty rate | 12.6% | 16.5% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 52° / 33° | 51° / 34° |
| July high / low | 92° / 71° | 89° / 73° |
| Precipitation per year | 54 in | 49 in |
| Snowfall per year | 2 in | 6 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 62 | 36 |
| Nights below freezing | 56 | 41 |
| Comfortable months | 1 | 5 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively High | Relatively Moderate |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 94.6 | 81.2 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 72% | 78% |
| Home prices, past year | +3.3% | +3.6% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +43% | +43.4% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Huntsville: October. Norfolk: April to June and October to November.
Full monthly tables: Huntsville weather by month and Norfolk weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $69,800 in Huntsville and $73,500 in Norfolk. Moving from Huntsville to Norfolk, you would need about $78,900 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
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