Thinking of moving to Norfolk? Here’s what you need to know.

If a spot by the sea is your idea of home, Norfolk rests along the Chesapeake Bay with waterfront residences, shops and restaurants galore. Seven miles of beachfront and 144 miles of shoreline along the city’s rivers, lakes and bay make for an array of scenic surroundings. But don’t get us wrong; The Tree City also houses botanical gardens and multiple parks. One of the largest municipalities in the Hampton Roads region, Norfolk is brimming with arts and culture, offering festivals, performances, museums and higher education options to its 245,000 residents.

Who’s There?

With a population that’s large and diverse, you’re bound to run into anyone: young professionals, students from Norfolk State and Old Dominion University, members of the U.S. Navy, doctors and reps from the city’s burgeoning healthcare community, or any number of artists, from actors to opera singers. It’s an educated, ethnically and racially diverse coastal town with something to offer everyone. Naval Station Norfolk, the largest naval base in the world, drives a large portion of the local economy, as does shipbuilding, the healthcare complex, railways and defense contracting, though a fair percentage of Norfolk dwellers telecommute and work from home.

What’s Around Norfolk?

This is a city with a slew of options unto itself, but it’s also connected to Newport News and the Delmarva Peninsula through bridges and tunnels, for access to additional beaches, museums and historic sites. With stunning natural surroundings, it lends itself to a number of aquatic activities, all while existing just a few hours outside of the state capitol. While you’ll most likely need a car, some areas of Norfolk are incredibly walkable: downtown, with an arts district and bayside attractions, is a perfect place to take a stroll, and the nearby Ghent District neighborhoods are an ideal place to call home if you’re sans vehicle. If you’ve got two wheels, the city offers a number of bike lanes as well as the We Roll Together initiative, which campaigns to create a bike-friendly city through education, maps and trails.

What Do You Do In Norfolk?

If you’re looking for fun in the sun, you can always hit the beaches. Be sure to stop in for bayside dining along Ocean View Avenue, and scout out some of the city’s best diverse international food hidden in little-expected strip malls throughout the area. Go fishing at one of the area’s many spots to cast a line, try kayaking on the water, or play a round of golf at a water-view course. Feel like monkeying around? Try a visit to the Virginia Zoo. And with The Virginia Opera, the Virginia Symphony, the Virginia Arts Festival and the Virginia Stage Company all in play, there’s no reason not to catch a performance and feel incredibly cultured, and lucky, in these beautiful surroundings.

1120 W Ocean View Ave #ID1533632P

912 Little Bay Ave

1553 Lea View Ave #ID1533639P

1001 Monticello Ave #100

9645 Sherwood Pl

2701 Pleasant Ave

3831 E Ocean View Ave

9555 20th Bay St

9602 10th Bay St

1160 W Ocean View Ave #ID1533641P

213 E 42nd St

(Undisclosed Address)

1859 Branchwood St #ID1492775P

1414 W 38th St

Icon Norfolk Apartments

1133 E Leicester Ave

740 W 31st St #ID1385862P

8125 Redmon Rd

3615 Bayside Ave

9601 22nd Bay St #1

3566 Westminster Ave

9632 6th Bay St

1839 Edgewood Ave

621 Pennsylvania Ave #2

1428 W Ocean View Ave #A

The Watermark at Talbot Park

1411 37th St

710 W 36th St

(Undisclosed Address)

9385 Pine Tree Rd

Per capita income

Population density

Median household income

Total population

Median age

Square miles

Percent renters

Median rent