18 Pros and Cons of Living in Norfolk, VA

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Congratulations and welcome to Norfolk, Virginia, home of NATO and the world’s largest naval base, Naval Station Norfolk.

If you are a service member or government contractor or have recently separated from your branch of service, you will find Norfolk, VA, a convenient permanent change of station.

Civilians will also find the area pleasant and surprisingly affordable, especially if you enjoy the beach life.

However, The Hampton Roads region has a few problems, so research your intended neighborhood long before you move.

Pros of Living in Norfolk, VA

1. Beaches and Waterways

The Chesapeake Bay area has some of Virginia’s finest saltwater beaches.

Known for its crabbing, swimming, sunbathing, and beach volleyball, Norfolk’s families spend as much time on the 7.3-mile Ocean View Beach as possible.

2. Sports Teams

The Ocean View Volleyball League allows community members of all ages to play.

As of June 2017, teams must have three to four players and at least one female member on the court.

Baseball fans can go to Harbor Park to watch the Norfolk Tides, the Triple-A Champion Minor League baseball team affiliated with the Baltimore Orioles.

Ice hockey enthusiasts have the Norfolk Admirals, who play at Scope Arena.

Basketball also has plenty of representation: Old Dominion University Monarchs men’s and women’s teams and the Norfolk State Spartans‘ men’s and women’s teams.

3. Service Member Moving Assistance

While it’s not much help to civilians, the various military branches provide total moving services.

Service families can use the Housing Early Assistance Tool (HEAT) to make informed decisions about where to live once they reach their permanent change of station.

For example, according to HEAT, these are some advantages of privatized housing versus community housing:

• Monthly rent cannot exceed the Basic Housing Allowance.
• No security deposits when paid by allotment.
• Cannot refuse you for a poor credit rating.

Department of Defense civilians have many of the same options, so take some time to examine each before buying or renting in Norfolk, VA.

Base housing availability might provide more advantages if you move to Norfolk at the end of your service, giving you more time to examine the local housing and civilian job market.

4. Employment

Major employers in Norfolk include:

• Portsmouth Marine Terminal
• Norfolk Naval Shipyard
• Norfolk Southern Corporation
• Local public school systems
• Dominion Enterprises
• Sentara Health Systems
• CMA CGM Group (Compagnie Maritime d’Affrètement, Compagnie Générale Maritime)
• GEICO
• NATO headquarters

Numerous retail, leisure, and service industry jobs round out the possibilities.

The minimum wage in Virginia is $12.00 per hour as of January 2023, according to the Virginia Legislative Information System.

5. Education

Norfolk has two choices for four-year education within the city limits: Norfolk State University and Old Dominion University.

Old Dominion University students receive a significant hiring advantage at CMA CGM.

Students who prefer a historically black college experience and lower tuition costs should apply to Norfolk State University.

Advanced Technology Institute’s Commercial Truck Driving Campus also lies within the Norfolk city limits.

6. Arts and Culture

Norfolk covers it whether you enjoy fine art, music, theater, or naval history.

Attucks Theatre: It opened in 1919 and was named after the Boston Massacre martyr Crispus Attucks.

Chrysler Hall, the host of the Virginia Symphony

Chrysler Museum of Art

General Douglas MacArthur Memorial

Harrison Opera House: The Official Opera Company of the Commonwealth of Virginia since 1994

Nauticus, the National Maritime Center

Virginia Arts Festival

7. Virginia Zoo in Norfolk

Founded in 1900 in Lafayette Park, Virginia Zoo in Norfolk houses over 700 animals, including 153 species, and sits on 53 acres.

The zoo was accredited by the American Zoo and Aquarium Association in 1987.

The zoo serves close to 500,000 guests each year.

Among its newest exhibits, the zoo remodeled the Asia: Trail of the Tiger exhibit and added a new electric train in 2023. Virginia Zoo will add a turtle oasis in 2024.

8. Night Life

Norfolk has plenty of after-hours events, including Bugatti’s Norfolk, a private club that opens after 1:00 AM.

The club features a DJ and dancing; you must be 21 or older.

If you enjoy line dancing, karaoke, and country music, head to the Banque on East Little Creek Road.

9. Weather

Norfolk’s summers run hot and muggy, while winter temperatures and humidity remain above freezing.

Spend the least comfortable month – July – at the beach, and wear layers in January and February.

Cons of Living in Norfolk, VA

1. Beaches and Waterways

Norfolk, VA, has nine watersheds: Chesapeake Bay, Willoughby Bay, Mason Creek, Little Creek, Broad Creek, Lake Whitehurst, the Lafayette and Elizabeth Rivers, and the Southern Branch of the Elizabeth River.

The City of Norfolk’s interactive map describes which neighborhoods in each watershed experience tidal and rainstorm flooding.

High bacteria counts in the Lake Whitehurst watershed resulted in a strategic plan to keep house pet waste, duck and goose droppings, kitchen grease, and boat sewage out of the water.

In 2016, according to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Lafayette became clean enough for swimming, snorkeling, and paddling.

Unfortunately, the EPA called the Elizabeth River’s three branches “highly polluted” in 1983.

The Elizabeth River remains on the EPA’s impaired water quality list.

2. Professional Sports Teams

With no Major League Baseball, NFL, or NBA teams, Norfolk’s residents support the city’s college, high school, and recreation leagues or follow the team from their former home states.

Divided loyalties, consequently, result in revenue shifting rather than drawing tourist and fandom dollars from outside the area.

3. Employment

Because military and family members have hiring advantages, civilians must have superb skills.

In addition, median private sector wages sometimes run slightly lower than in cities of similar size.

Nevertheless, with an unemployment rate of 3.4 percent as of September 2023, expect a relatively short job search if you keep your resume optimized.

4. Education, Public Schools

Although adequate, Norfolk’s public school system has some challenges.

The transient military and international population have a dampening effect on test scores and graduation rates.

Additionally, private schools in the area siphon students whose families have more resources, leaving public districts with fewer daily attendance dollars to serve more financially stressed families.

Public School Review lists these as the top three public schools in Norfolk, VA:

• Larchmont Elementary School, 1145 Bolling Avenue
• Maury High School, 322 Shirley Avenue
• Academy for Discovery at Lakewood, 1701 Alsace Avenue.

Consider the reputations of these three public schools as you search for your permanent Norfolk address.

If you prefer a private or religious school, however, the following are the top three:

• Norfolk Academy, 1585 Wesleyan Drive
• Saint Pius X School, 7800 Halprin Drive
• Loch-meadow Kindergarten, 7400 Hampton Boulevard

5. Arts and Culture

The only drawback about Norfolk’s cultural scene is how to see and do it all before you run out of time and energy.

6. Night Life

With two universities and multiple shipyards in town, Homecoming, Fleet Week, and Spring Break overflow Norfolk’s nightclubs, bars, and arcades.

Most restaurants have strict time limits on busy nights and will only hold a reservation for 20 minutes, or you will be considered a no-show.

Over 21 clubs will not admit you without ID and do not allow guests to exceed capacity limits.

7. Weather

Hurricanes brush the area every 2.2 years, but direct hits only happen every 11.62 years, and damage usually limits itself to downed trees and moderate flooding in low-lying areas.

Check your Norfolk flood zone map and hurricane evacuation routes at the beginning of the season in June.

8. Traffic

In 2019, according to the US Census Bureau, 73.4 percent of Norfolk’s commuters drove to work alone.

By 2021, thanks to telecommuting and a slight increase in carpooling, that figure has dropped to 69.8 percent.

Incoming residents prioritizing living and working on the same side of the area’s bridges and tunnels have also helped reduce rush hour traffic.

9. Public Safety

With a population of 242,813 in 2019, Norfolk residents reported 1325 violent crimes to law enforcement.

These included 134 rapes, 311 robberies, and 844 assaults.

The city also had 8045 property crimes that same year, making Norfolk less safe than other cities of similar size in Virginia.

Pros and Cons of Living in Norfolk, VA – Summary Table

Key Takeaways

Norfolk, VA, has nine watersheds:

• Chesapeake Bay,
• Willoughby Bay,
• Mason Creek,
• Little Creek,
• Broad Creek,
• Lake Whitehurst,
• Lafayette River
• Elizabeth River
• Southern Branch of the Elizabeth River

The Lafayette River became clean enough for swimming, snorkeling, and paddling in 2016.

Live as close to the 7.3 miles of Ocean View Beach as possible.

Summer tends to be hot and muggy in Norfolk.

The minimum wage in Virginia is $12.00 per hour as of 2023.

The top three public schools in Norfolk are Larchmont Elementary School, Maury High School, and the

Academy for Discovery at Lakewood.

Most restaurants will only hold a reservation for 20 minutes on busy nights, or you will be considered a no-show.

Over 21 clubs will not admit you without ID and do not allow guests to exceed capacity limits.

Hurricanes brush the area every 2.2 years, but direct hits only happen every 11.62 years.

Damage usually limits itself to downed trees and moderate flooding in low-lying areas.

With no Major League Baseball, NFL, or NBA teams, Norfolk’s residents support college, high school, and recreation leagues instead.

Live and work on the same side of Norfolk’s rivers, bridges, and tunnels to reduce commute time.

Norfolk has higher rates of violent and property crime than similar-sized cities in Virginia and elsewhere.