Jobs, pay and daily life in Norfolk, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
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By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Norfolk is a city in Virginia with 233,596 residents. The median household earns $66,109 a year and the median rent is $1,321 a month, which is 24.0% of the median household income. It is part of the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC metropolitan area, where BLS counts 763,060 jobs.
Federal jobs in Virginia (1,131) →State guide: VirginiaCountry guide
There are 1,131 federal postings open in Virginia (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in Virginia →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 22,520 | 1.19 | $28,780 | $27,420 | $35,360 | -8% |
| Retail Salespersons | 20,890 | 1.09 | $30,820 | $26,960 | $44,570 | -13% |
| General and Operations Managers | 17,400 | 1.01 | $100,340 | $47,490 | $206,480 | -5% |
| Registered Nurses | 16,870 | 1.02 | $89,450 | $63,750 | $114,610 | -8% |
| Cashiers | 16,840 | 1.11 | $29,320 | $26,670 | $35,450 | -11% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 13,920 | 0.96 | $39,160 | $30,880 | $56,430 | -3% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 13,750 | 0.99 | $35,120 | $29,350 | $48,250 | -6% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 13,650 | 0.65 | $28,420 | $26,090 | $37,190 | -21% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 13,100 | 1.18 | $39,020 | $27,860 | $70,850 | +11% |
| Office Clerks, General | 12,490 | 1.03 | $44,630 | $31,030 | $61,220 | -1% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 11,840 | 1.09 | $33,580 | $27,650 | $45,360 | -9% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 10,960 | 0.86 | $38,150 | $30,300 | $57,160 | -15% |
| Business Operations Specialists, All Other | 8,670 | 1.63 | $87,530 | $47,640 | $127,950 | +5% |
| Cooks, Restaurant | 8,380 | 1.21 | $36,280 | $29,210 | $44,280 | -3% |
| Nursing Assistants | 8,110 | 1.14 | $38,990 | $31,210 | $47,440 | -8% |
| Security Guards | 7,470 | 1.19 | $37,230 | $30,830 | $62,710 | -2% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 7,460 | 0.74 | $50,460 | $38,180 | $71,930 | -14% |
| Software Developers | 7,160 | 0.86 | $129,090 | $80,090 | $178,830 | -5% |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 7,130 | 1.05 | $63,380 | $48,910 | $100,290 | -1% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 7,100 | 0.95 | $47,820 | $34,390 | $74,610 | -4% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chief Executives | 530 | 0.53 | $297,350 | $124,010 | $612,350 | +39% |
| Physicians, All Other | 1,050 | 0.63 | $266,280 | $93,350 | $386,760 | +0% |
| Family Medicine Physicians | 560 | 1.05 | $213,690 | $63,550 | $662,920 | -12% |
| Dentists, General | 720 | 1.18 | $177,400 | $106,470 | $298,950 | +4% |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | 1,360 | 0.41 | $170,560 | $110,140 | $263,320 | -3% |
| Financial Managers | 2,290 | 0.55 | $163,940 | $93,280 | $275,850 | -2% |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | 750 | 0.70 | $161,340 | $126,380 | $216,030 | -6% |
| Sales Managers | 1,270 | 0.41 | $158,750 | $78,410 | $285,200 | +7% |
| Marketing Managers | 610 | 0.32 | $155,300 | $96,330 | $248,570 | -7% |
| Managers, All Other | 2,300 | 0.75 | $143,230 | $104,040 | $193,250 | +1% |
| Purchasing Managers | 500 | 1.21 | $143,230 | $104,260 | $201,000 | -3% |
| Human Resources Managers | 680 | 0.63 | $140,410 | $99,270 | $217,170 | -6% |
| Aerospace Engineers | 800 | 2.40 | $139,010 | $92,930 | $193,250 | +3% |
| Engineers, All Other | 1,250 | 1.65 | $138,590 | $83,660 | $188,280 | +13% |
| Pharmacists | 1,470 | 0.93 | $136,280 | $109,810 | $166,400 | -3% |
| Lawyers | 2,280 | 0.62 | $133,380 | $75,690 | $313,680 | -16% |
| Software Developers | 7,160 | 0.86 | $129,090 | $80,090 | $178,830 | -5% |
| Physician Assistants | 780 | 0.99 | $126,430 | $96,360 | $172,860 | -7% |
| Information Security Analysts | 1,490 | 1.59 | $126,030 | $74,670 | $174,330 | -2% |
| Nurse Practitioners | 1,300 | 0.82 | $124,530 | $101,530 | $143,530 | -6% |
These figures are for the whole Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $49,430 (US $50,980); unemployment 3.8% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 24.9% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 12.8% |
| Retail trade | 11.1% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 10.5% |
| Manufacturing | 7.4% |
| Public administration | 7.4% |
| Construction | 6.1% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 6.1% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 5.7% |
| Other services | 4.8% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.6% |
| Information | 1.3% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.2% |
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 70.6% |
| Public transit | 2.6% |
| Walk | 5.0% |
| Work from home | 10.2% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 8.8% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $66,109 |
| Income per person | $39,457 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,321 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 24.0% |
| Median home value | $289,900 |
| Homeowners | 46.3% |
| Poverty rate | 16.5% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 97.9 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $49,430 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set; graduated states show 0 until you enter your own estimate. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Graduated, top rate 5.75%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 32.7 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 90.2% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 33.5% |
| Born abroad | 7.9% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 57.2% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 4.2 | 40 | 73 |
| Feb | 5.2 | 41 | 72 |
| Mar | 8.5 | 47 | 85 |
| Apr | 14.0 | 57 | 88 |
| May | 19.1 | 66 | 98 |
| Jun | 24.2 | 76 | 113 |
| Jul | 26.6 | 80 | 131 |
| Aug | 26.0 | 79 | 138 |
| Sep | 23.0 | 73 | 130 |
| Oct | 17.5 | 64 | 104 |
| Nov | 11.5 | 53 | 82 |
| Dec | 7.1 | 45 | 91 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hampton | VA | 9 mi | 137,557 | $69,621 | $1,427 |
| Virginia Beach | VA | 16 mi | 454,808 | $94,579 | $1,753 |
| Chesapeake | VA | 17 mi | 252,583 | $95,373 | $1,586 |
| Newport News | VA | 19 mi | 184,216 | $69,634 | $1,339 |
| Richmond | VA | 80 mi | 229,359 | $64,587 | $1,372 |
| Alexandria | VA | 139 mi | 156,976 | $119,681 | $2,089 |
| Arlington | VA | 143 mi | 236,254 | $142,114 | $2,322 |
| Washington | DC | 143 mi | 702,250 | $109,707 | $1,931 |
| Raleigh | NC | 153 mi | 499,637 | $85,060 | $1,661 |
| Durham | NC | 161 mi | 291,467 | $81,619 | $1,508 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
233,596 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,321 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 24.0% of the median household income.
$66,109 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
3.8% (BLS metro area 2026M09).
Virginia. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.