Jacksonville vs Norfolk
The short version
- Overall prices are about the same in both metro areas (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $289,900 in Norfolk and $293,700 in Jacksonville.
- Households earn more in Jacksonville ($69,872 vs $66,109 median).
- Jacksonville has the warmer winter: January highs of 66°F vs 51°F.
- Jacksonville has more scorching days: 96 a year at 90°F or hotter vs 36.
- Jacksonville is growing faster: +7.2% since 2020 vs -3%.
- Florida has no state income tax on wages; Virginia's top rate is 5.75%.
Side by side
| Jacksonville, FL | Norfolk, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 1,017,689 | 231,013 |
| Growth since 2020 | +7.2% | -3% |
| People per square mile | 1,362 | 4,336 |
| Median age | 36.5 | 32.7 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33% | 34% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $69,872 | $66,109 |
| Median home value | $293,700 | $289,900 |
| Home value to income | 4.2× | 4.4× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,465 | $1,321 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 99.5 | 97.9 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 109.8 | 99.8 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $74,600 | $73,500 |
| Homeowners | 58% | 46% |
| Top state income tax | None | 5.75% |
| Combined sales tax | 6.98% | 5.77% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 24.1 | 23.0 |
| Work from home | 16% | 10% |
| Take public transit | 1% | 3% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 4.6% | 5.7% |
| Poverty rate | 14.5% | 16.5% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 66° / 47° | 51° / 34° |
| July high / low | 92° / 76° | 89° / 73° |
| Precipitation per year | 48 in | 49 in |
| Snowfall per year | 0 in | 6 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 96 | 36 |
| Nights below freezing | 4 | 41 |
| Comfortable months | 7 | 5 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively High | Relatively Moderate |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 97.2 | 81.2 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 43% | 78% |
| Home prices, past year | +0.1% | +3.6% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +40.5% | +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: Jacksonville: October to April. Norfolk: April to June and October to November.
Full monthly tables: Jacksonville 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 $74,600 in Jacksonville and $73,500 in Norfolk. Moving from Jacksonville to Norfolk, you would need about $73,800 to match a $75,000 salary.
Moving between Jacksonville and Norfolk
IRS county-to-county migration, 2022 to 2023 tax years, for the counties that contain each city. See where else people move from Jacksonville and Norfolk.
Which would you pick?
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