Population 6,435 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Downtown Norfolk
Household size in Downtown Norfolk
| Period | Downtown Norfolk | Norfolk | Virginia Beach area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.01 | 2.76 | 2.64 | 2.63 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 1.88 | 2.67 | 2.66 | 2.68 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 1.82 | 2.59 | 2.61 | 2.68 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 1.78 | 2.40 | 2.54 | 2.62 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.23 | −0.36 | −0.10 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Downtown Norfolk is a place of small households, averaging 1.78 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.01, a much bigger shift than nationally. Few Norfolk neighborhoods have smaller households: only two of 21.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Downtown Norfolk
| Period | Downtown Norfolk | Norfolk | Virginia Beach area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.2 | 32.0 | 37.0 | 38.2 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 30.4 | 32.7 | 37.6 | 39.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 31.6 | 33.7 | 38.6 | 40.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 33.4 | 35.2 | 39.2 | 40.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | −2.8 | +3.2 | +2.2 | +2.1 | +2.3 |
Downtown Norfolk is young: half of its residents are under 33.4, compared with a national median of 40.1. The population tilts toward young adults, many of them living alone or as couples. Since 2006–10, the median age has dropped from 36.2, even as the national median rose.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Downtown Norfolk
| Period | Downtown Norfolk | Norfolk | Virginia Beach area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.1% | 16.9% | 13.7% | 11.1% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 17.6% | 16.8% | 13.6% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 20.2% | 14.7% | 12.9% | 10.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 17.9% | 15.5% | 12.9% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.7 pts | −1.4 pts | −0.7 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head just over one in six households in Downtown Norfolk (17.9%), well above the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has edged up 0.7 points since 2006–10, even as the national share fell.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Downtown Norfolk
Renters in Downtown Norfolk
| Period | Downtown Norfolk | Norfolk | Virginia Beach area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 70.0% | 53.5% | 35.1% | 31.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 76.2% | 56.4% | 37.6% | 33.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 76.1% | 56.7% | 38.4% | 33.7% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 81.2% | 53.8% | 36.6% | 32.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | +11.2 pts | +0.3 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renters far outnumber owners in Downtown Norfolk: 81.2% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% nationally. Among homeowners, 32.8% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 11.2 points, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only one other Norfolk neighborhood has a higher share of renters.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Downtown Norfolk
| Period | Downtown Norfolk | Norfolk | Virginia Beach area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.1% | 11.2% | 9.1% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 9.8% | 9.6% | 9.7% | 10.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.7% | 9.9% | 9.5% | 9.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 7.8% | 9.1% | 7.6% | 8.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.3 pts | −2.1 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in Downtown Norfolk: 7.8% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. The picture is much the same across Norfolk.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Downtown Norfolk
| Period | Downtown Norfolk | Norfolk | Virginia Beach area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1972 | 1963 | 1977 | 1978 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1984 | 1965 | 1979 | 1980 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1977 | 1965 | 1980 | 1981 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1971 | 1967 | 1982 | 1984 | 1980 |
| Change | −1 | +4 | +5 | +5 | +6 |
Downtown Norfolk is a place of older homes: half were built before 1971, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. Still, homes here are newer than in Norfolk overall, where the median home dates to 1967. Newer construction is concentrated in the west, while the northeast has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Downtown Norfolk
| Period | Downtown Norfolk | Norfolk | Virginia Beach area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $868 | $946 | $1,107 | $1,143 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,041 | $1,093 | $1,232 | $1,238 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,109 | $1,203 | $1,358 | $1,436 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,362 | $1,451 | $1,647 | $1,743 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$494 | +$505 | +$540 | +$600 | +$606 |
Rent in Downtown Norfolk runs $1,362 a month at the median, utilities included, below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $494 a month since 2006–10, up 57%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 28.1% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. The priciest rents are in the west; the most affordable are in the northeast.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Downtown Norfolk
Bachelor's degrees in Downtown Norfolk
| Period | Downtown Norfolk | Norfolk | Virginia Beach area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 43.2% | 23.9% | 27.5% | 35.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 49.6% | 25.4% | 28.9% | 36.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 51.7% | 29.5% | 32.0% | 39.3% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 49.8% | 32.4% | 35.4% | 42.5% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.6 pts | +8.5 pts | +7.9 pts | +7.3 pts | +7.2 pts |
Downtown Norfolk is highly educated: about half of adults 25 and older (49.8%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 6.6 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the west and least in the northeast.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Downtown Norfolk
| Period | Downtown Norfolk | Norfolk | Virginia Beach area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 81.5% | 84.9% | 88.9% | 86.8% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 88.1% | 87.4% | 90.0% | 88.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 90.9% | 88.8% | 91.5% | 89.9% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 92.1% | 90.8% | 92.8% | 91.6% | 89.3% |
| Change | +10.6 pts | +5.9 pts | +3.9 pts | +4.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
About nine in ten adults in Downtown Norfolk have finished high school (92.1%), a bit above the national rate of 89.3%. That is in line with the rest of Norfolk. The share with a diploma has risen 10.6 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Downtown Norfolk
| Period | Downtown Norfolk | Norfolk | Virginia Beach area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.7% | 9.7% | 6.5% | 6.0% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 13.8% | 11.2% | 8.2% | 7.0% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.1% | 7.5% | 5.6% | 4.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.5% | 6.2% | 4.9% | 4.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −10.2 pts | −3.5 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 5.5%, unemployment in Downtown Norfolk is close to the national rate of 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 10.2 points, a much bigger shift than nationally. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Downtown Norfolk compared with nearby neighborhoods
| Neighborhood | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Downtown Norfolk | 1.78 | 33.4 | 17.9% | 81.2% | 7.8% | 1971 | $1,362 | 49.8% | 92.1% | 5.5% |
| Ghent Square | 1.68 | 37.7 | 3.9% | 67.5% | 7.8% | 1975 | $1,724 | 71.7% | 99.1% | 1.7% |
| Ghent | 1.73 | 39.5 | 2.4% | 63.4% | 6.1% | 1947 | $1,397 | 64.5% | 98.6% | 5.8% |
| Central Brambleton | 2.78 | 29.2 | 27.8% | 74.6% | 17.4% | 1986 | $763 | 29.7% | 88.2% | 22.0% |
| Lindenwood | 2.41 | 34.8 | 19.1% | 56.9% | 16.9% | 1955 | $1,217 | 25.9% | 86.2% | 4.5% |
| Park Place | 2.26 | 35.4 | 16.6% | 58.5% | 12.5% | 1951 | $1,332 | 33.0% | 90.3% | 5.0% |
| Colonial Place Riverview | 1.82 | 40.6 | 7.1% | 43.8% | 9.3% | 1954 | $1,627 | 68.5% | 94.9% | 9.0% |
| Highland Park | 2.32 | 23.6 | 4.0% | 80.0% | 20.0% | 1997 | $1,543 | 42.8% | 96.6% | 4.2% |
| Ballentine Place | 2.62 | 37.2 | 15.1% | 45.0% | 9.3% | 1954 | $1,261 | 17.7% | 78.9% | 5.6% |
| Lamberts Point | 2.46 | 21.3 | 5.9% | 73.8% | 6.8% | 1985 | $1,432 | 37.0% | 85.3% | 7.2% |
| Fairmont Park | 2.61 | 39.6 | 21.1% | 45.1% | 14.4% | 1959 | $1,373 | 19.2% | 86.3% | 7.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: South Modesto Acres, Modesto, CA · Fairpark, Salt Lake City, UT · Gresham-Northwest, Gresham, OR · Haevers Corners, Green Bay, WI · Lake Balboa, Van Nuys, CA · Mountain Creek, Pflugerville, TX · North Lincoln Street, Worcester, MA · Oak Grove, Springfield, MO · Old West Durham, Durham, NC · On Top of The World, Clearwater, FL
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Downtown Norfolk. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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