The county economy from official statistics, with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Norfolk City is a county of Virginia with 233,596 residents. Its economy produced $26,767 million in 2024 (ranked #6 of 133 counties) and had 144,085 jobs with an average annual pay of $72,432 (#12 for pay). The unemployment rate was 4.2% in 2026M09. It is part of the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC metropolitan area (central county).
Norfolk City produced about $26,767 million of goods and services in 2024, which is 6.3% of the combined output of the 82 counties of Virginia that BEA reports (about 2.7% of the state's population lives here), and ranks it 6th of 82 on that measure. Per resident that is $114,585, 133% above the state average; the average for all counties of the state taken together is $49,195. In current dollars output grew 4.6% from 2023 to 2024, before adjusting for inflation.
BLS counts 144,085 jobs located in Norfolk City on average in 2024, spread over 6,441 employer sites (about 22 jobs per site). That is 0.62 jobs for every resident, above the 0.34 of the typical county in Virginia, which tells you whether the county is a place people mostly commute to for work or a place they commute from. The average annual pay per job was $72,432, 4% below the average of all counties in the state ($72,432 against $75,556). Average pay is total wages divided by jobs, so it is pulled up by high earners and counts part-time jobs as whole jobs; it is not the pay of a typical worker. The number of jobs rose 2.3% from 2023 to 2024.
The three largest private industries are health care and social assistance (21.2% of private jobs, $72,817 a year on average), professional and technical services (11.6% of private jobs, $90,687 a year on average), accommodation and food services (10.0% of private jobs, $25,974 a year on average). Together they hold 42.7% of private-sector jobs. Among industries with at least 3% of jobs, the best paying is finance and insurance at $104,228 a year, followed by professional and technical services ($90,687). Several of the biggest employers pay well below the county average: accommodation and food services ($25,974), retail trade ($36,518). Jobs there are plentiful but the pay is lower than the headline average suggests.
In 2026M09 the unemployment rate in Norfolk City was 4.2%, 15% above the average of the state's counties (4.2% against 3.6%). The labour force (people working or looking for work) numbered 105,653. Over the last 12 months it ranged from 3.9% (2025M09) to 4.7% (2026M01); the latest month is preliminary and BLS revises it. These county rates are not seasonally adjusted, so compare the same month across years.
The median household income was $66,109 (ACS 2020–2024), 29% below the state median ($66,109 against $93,170). The guide covers 1 city with this as the main county: Norfolk. Open any of them for rent, home values, commuting and climate.
Counties close to Norfolk City in output are Richmond City, Virginia Beach City, Chesterfield County, Newport News City. Compare their jobs, pay and unemployment on their own pages.
| Measure ⇅ | Value ⇅ | Rank among the 133 counties of Virginia ⇅ |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 233,596 | 9 of 133 |
| GDP 2024 | $26,767 million | 6 of 82 |
| GDP per resident | $114,585 | 6 of 82 |
| Jobs (QCEW 2024) | 144,085 | 8 of 133 |
| Average annual pay | $72,432 | 12 of 133 |
| Job change vs 2023 | +2.3% | 34 of 133 |
| Unemployment rate (lower is better) | 4.2% | 99 of 133 |
| Median household income | $66,109 | 73 of 133 |
Federal jobs in Virginia (1,132) →All cities of VirginiaState guide: Virginia
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
Cities of this guide whose main county is Norfolk City.
| City ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ | Median home value ⇅ | Bachelor's+ ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Norfolk | 233,596 | $66,109 | $1,321 | $289,900 | 33.5% |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 22,079 | 21.2% | $72,817 | 1.07 |
| Professional and technical services | 12,025 | 11.6% | $90,687 | 1.20 |
| Accommodation and food services | 10,378 | 10.0% | $25,974 | 0.79 |
| Retail trade | 10,011 | 9.6% | $36,518 | 0.70 |
| Administrative and waste services | 8,968 | 8.6% | $51,830 | 1.06 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 8,128 | 7.8% | $88,741 | 1.33 |
| Manufacturing | 5,968 | 5.7% | $71,891 | 0.50 |
| Finance and insurance | 5,674 | 5.5% | $104,228 | 0.97 |
| Construction | 5,460 | 5.2% | $79,158 | 0.72 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 3,504 | 3.4% | $51,031 | 0.81 |
| Wholesale trade | 2,867 | 2.8% | $82,671 | 0.51 |
| Real estate and rental | 2,428 | 2.3% | $67,313 | 1.09 |
| Educational services | 1,743 | 1.7% | $54,907 | 0.59 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 1,658 | 1.6% | $37,521 | 0.68 |
| Management of companies | 1,464 | 1.4% | $104,589 | 0.60 |
| Information | 1,394 | 1.3% | $94,363 | 0.52 |
| Utilities | 360 | 0.3% | $117,582 | 0.66 |
A location quotient above 1 means the industry is more concentrated here than in the US. BLS withholds sectors with too few employers.
| Measure ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Labour force | 105,653 |
| Employed residents | 101,196 |
| Unemployed residents | 4,457 |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% |
| Jobs located in the county (QCEW) | 144,085 |
| Employer sites | 6,441 |
Residents employed and jobs located here differ: many residents commute to other counties.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP 2024 ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Unemployment ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fairfax County | 1,147,837 | n/a | n/a | 636,430 | $114,100 | 3.4% |
| Prince William County | 488,880 | n/a | n/a | 143,345 | $64,447 | 3.5% |
| Virginia Beach City | 456,349 | $32,879 million | $72,048 | 179,013 | $57,981 | 3.5% |
| Loudoun County | 432,998 | $44,855 million | $103,592 | 198,113 | $84,788 | 3.4% |
| Chesterfield County | 377,869 | $24,002 million | $63,520 | 145,905 | $62,685 | 3.7% |
| Henrico County | 335,744 | $37,565 million | $111,885 | 187,647 | $70,541 | 3.7% |
| Chesapeake City | 252,583 | $15,247 million | $60,363 | 104,662 | $58,825 | 3.7% |
| Arlington County | 236,254 | $49,078 million | $207,733 | 179,244 | $122,856 | 2.9% |
| Norfolk City | 233,596 | $26,767 million | $114,585 | 144,085 | $72,432 | 4.2% |
| Richmond City | 229,359 | $35,106 million | $153,060 | 165,947 | $83,392 | 4.1% |
| Newport News City | 184,216 | $18,793 million | $102,016 | 102,308 | $67,936 | 4.2% |
| Stafford County | 163,466 | $8,345 million | $51,051 | 46,071 | $68,734 | 3.6% |
| Alexandria City | 156,976 | $18,000 million | $114,668 | 81,341 | $91,541 | 3.2% |
| Spotsylvania County | 146,603 | n/a | n/a | 37,842 | $52,962 | 3.7% |
| Hampton City | 137,557 | $9,154 million | $66,546 | 50,137 | $63,365 | 4.4% |
| Albemarle County | 114,919 | n/a | n/a | 64,815 | $72,866 | 3.3% |
| Hanover County | 112,879 | $9,225 million | $81,729 | 59,513 | $55,746 | 3.1% |
| Montgomery County | 99,101 | n/a | n/a | 43,202 | $60,810 | 3.9% |
| Suffolk City | 98,796 | $5,716 million | $57,860 | 36,408 | $64,230 | 3.9% |
| Roanoke City | 98,355 | $10,061 million | $102,289 | 65,679 | $62,732 | 3.9% |
| Portsmouth City | 97,190 | $7,777 million | $80,022 | 43,620 | $67,867 | 4.7% |
| Roanoke County | 97,023 | n/a | n/a | 37,445 | $54,899 | 3.3% |
| Frederick County | 95,008 | n/a | n/a | 39,388 | $62,069 | 3.4% |
| Rockingham County | 85,600 | n/a | n/a | 35,104 | $57,264 | 3.0% |
| James City County | 81,013 | n/a | n/a | 30,184 | $52,359 | 3.7% |
| Bedford County | 80,894 | $2,746 million | $33,945 | 18,602 | $48,340 | 3.6% |
| Lynchburg City | 79,497 | n/a | n/a | 47,689 | $58,705 | 4.7% |
| Augusta County | 78,033 | n/a | n/a | 29,861 | $59,516 | 2.9% |
| Fauquier County | 74,577 | $4,154 million | $55,702 | 23,810 | $65,376 | 3.0% |
| York County | 71,005 | n/a | n/a | 22,164 | $53,363 | 3.5% |
| Pittsylvania County | 59,856 | n/a | n/a | 12,854 | $48,651 | 3.9% |
| Campbell County | 55,312 | n/a | n/a | 18,480 | $57,594 | 3.7% |
| Franklin County | 55,130 | $2,216 million | $40,194 | 15,666 | $46,740 | 3.8% |
| Culpeper County | 54,397 | $2,723 million | $50,056 | 16,369 | $56,499 | 3.3% |
| Washington County | 53,926 | n/a | n/a | 20,425 | $48,472 | 3.6% |
| Harrisonburg City | 51,392 | n/a | n/a | 31,039 | $50,381 | 3.8% |
| Henry County | 49,980 | n/a | n/a | 15,729 | $45,753 | 5.1% |
| Charlottesville City | 45,437 | n/a | n/a | 36,641 | $71,984 | 3.0% |
| Shenandoah County | 44,925 | $2,270 million | $50,534 | 13,484 | $49,986 | 3.7% |
| Prince George County | 43,146 | n/a | n/a | 14,930 | $64,331 | 3.4% |
| Manassas City | 42,976 | n/a | n/a | 24,891 | $84,551 | 3.2% |
| Danville City | 42,214 | n/a | n/a | 24,837 | $49,929 | 5.9% |
| Warren County | 41,531 | $2,557 million | $61,573 | 13,387 | $52,768 | 3.4% |
| Louisa County | 39,980 | $3,107 million | $77,719 | 10,206 | $60,052 | 3.7% |
| Isle of Wight County | 39,974 | $1,653 million | $41,364 | 10,060 | $58,356 | 3.4% |
| Tazewell County | 39,624 | $1,716 million | $43,303 | 13,713 | $44,784 | 4.9% |
| Gloucester County | 39,526 | $1,361 million | $34,441 | 10,102 | $47,565 | 3.1% |
| Orange County | 37,822 | $1,620 million | $42,842 | 9,594 | $49,188 | 3.6% |
| Wise County | 35,448 | n/a | n/a | 10,969 | $46,985 | 4.9% |
| Botetourt County | 34,004 | $1,882 million | $55,360 | 11,729 | $58,347 | 3.2% |
| Pulaski County | 33,687 | $1,891 million | $56,131 | 14,919 | $52,746 | 3.8% |
| Halifax County | 33,639 | $1,638 million | $48,687 | 11,850 | $50,234 | 4.8% |
| Petersburg City | 33,537 | n/a | n/a | 11,753 | $53,542 | 5.8% |
| Accomack County | 33,335 | $2,039 million | $61,180 | 13,149 | $52,649 | 4.3% |
| Caroline County | 32,098 | $1,263 million | $39,356 | 6,591 | $48,154 | 3.6% |
| Powhatan County | 31,555 | $1,260 million | $39,930 | 8,331 | $54,627 | 3.0% |
| Amherst County | 31,485 | $1,099 million | $34,911 | 8,168 | $47,248 | 3.6% |
| Mecklenburg County | 30,516 | $1,602 million | $52,488 | 11,719 | $50,731 | 4.1% |
| Smyth County | 29,420 | $1,349 million | $45,869 | 11,649 | $48,271 | 4.6% |
| Carroll County | 29,157 | n/a | n/a | 5,796 | $40,868 | 3.8% |
| Fredericksburg City | 28,873 | n/a | n/a | 24,853 | $62,880 | 3.8% |
| Dinwiddie County | 28,191 | n/a | n/a | 10,317 | $68,516 | 3.8% |
| Wythe County | 28,188 | $1,891 million | $67,091 | 11,575 | $46,558 | 3.6% |
| Fluvanna County | 28,092 | $1,259 million | $44,802 | 4,854 | $57,223 | 3.1% |
| Winchester City | 27,913 | n/a | n/a | 24,937 | $62,266 | 3.7% |
| King George County | 27,896 | $2,903 million | $104,066 | 13,745 | $94,680 | 3.5% |
| Goochland County | 26,410 | $4,002 million | $151,518 | 18,663 | $118,433 | 3.5% |
| Staunton City | 25,948 | n/a | n/a | 11,440 | $47,917 | 3.1% |
| Salem City | 25,618 | n/a | n/a | 20,481 | $63,388 | 3.4% |
| Russell County | 25,538 | $904 million | $35,388 | 6,150 | $48,286 | 4.8% |
| New Kent County | 25,105 | $1,081 million | $43,049 | 6,055 | $50,627 | 3.2% |
| Fairfax | 25,026 | n/a | n/a | 24,181 | $70,382 | 3.2% |
| Page County | 23,727 | $892 million | $37,593 | 5,550 | $43,184 | 3.6% |
| Hopewell City | 22,959 | n/a | n/a | 7,284 | $66,996 | 5.1% |
| Waynesboro City | 22,841 | n/a | n/a | 9,556 | $49,057 | 3.2% |
| Rockbridge County | 22,531 | n/a | n/a | 6,110 | $44,224 | 3.2% |
| Prince Edward County | 21,996 | $995 million | $45,257 | 8,733 | $48,770 | 4.9% |
| Lee County | 21,900 | $567 million | $25,872 | 4,190 | $45,126 | 4.8% |
| Scott County | 21,479 | $610 million | $28,407 | 4,980 | $44,964 | 4.2% |
| Greene County | 21,155 | $681 million | $32,190 | 4,052 | $43,718 | 2.9% |
| Buchanan County | 19,415 | $1,397 million | $71,942 | 6,056 | $62,429 | 6.5% |
| Westmoreland County | 18,826 | $666 million | $35,377 | 3,218 | $43,691 | 5.0% |
| King William County | 18,593 | $850 million | $45,710 | 4,201 | $59,062 | 3.2% |
| Colonial Heights City | 18,352 | n/a | n/a | 9,693 | $43,347 | 3.9% |
| Southampton County | 17,964 | n/a | n/a | 3,588 | $48,968 | 3.8% |
| Patrick County | 17,512 | $535 million | $30,550 | 4,110 | $40,000 | 4.0% |
| Buckingham County | 16,976 | $698 million | $41,113 | 3,114 | $49,796 | 3.7% |
| Bristol City | 16,849 | n/a | n/a | 10,383 | $46,921 | 4.3% |
| Manassas Park City | 16,798 | n/a | n/a | 3,729 | $66,797 | 3.4% |
| Radford City | 16,726 | n/a | n/a | 5,996 | $54,027 | 4.4% |
| Appomattox County | 16,610 | $476 million | $28,631 | 3,602 | $40,983 | 3.3% |
| Giles County | 16,557 | $923 million | $55,768 | 5,892 | $64,150 | 3.6% |
| Brunswick County | 15,841 | $1,197 million | $75,576 | 3,307 | $50,409 | 4.1% |
| Williamsburg City | 15,798 | n/a | n/a | 11,822 | $54,523 | 5.2% |
| Nottoway County | 15,597 | $701 million | $44,916 | 5,406 | $52,671 | 4.0% |
| Floyd County | 15,593 | $536 million | $34,377 | 3,762 | $41,257 | 3.1% |
| Grayson County | 15,287 | $398 million | $26,034 | 3,415 | $37,811 | 3.4% |
| Clarke County | 15,216 | $612 million | $40,193 | 3,883 | $55,137 | 3.6% |
| Alleghany County | 14,859 | n/a | n/a | 3,293 | $45,643 | 4.2% |
| Nelson County | 14,732 | $700 million | $47,538 | 3,982 | $48,069 | 3.4% |
| Falls Church City | 14,710 | n/a | n/a | 12,423 | $83,495 | 3.4% |
| Madison County | 14,044 | $521 million | $37,133 | 3,095 | $50,151 | 3.2% |
| Dickenson County | 13,733 | $851 million | $61,932 | 3,390 | $53,653 | 4.8% |
| Martinsville City | 13,658 | n/a | n/a | 9,239 | $43,459 | 5.5% |
| Amelia County | 13,462 | $395 million | $29,318 | 2,522 | $47,867 | 3.4% |
| Poquoson City | 12,639 | n/a | n/a | 1,862 | $46,583 | 3.3% |
| Northumberland County | 12,188 | $478 million | $39,244 | 2,392 | $51,362 | 5.2% |
| Northampton County | 12,059 | $682 million | $56,567 | 4,561 | $43,255 | 4.1% |
| Lunenburg County | 12,016 | $341 million | $28,339 | 2,357 | $47,706 | 4.5% |
| Charlotte County | 11,422 | $376 million | $32,958 | 2,737 | $46,079 | 4.1% |
| Greensville County | 11,275 | n/a | n/a | 3,810 | $59,759 | 5.9% |
| Lancaster County | 10,936 | $679 million | $62,097 | 4,793 | $51,518 | 4.4% |
| Middlesex County | 10,847 | $523 million | $48,219 | 3,389 | $46,498 | 3.6% |
| Sussex County | 10,765 | $439 million | $40,781 | 3,215 | $53,408 | 4.0% |
| Essex County | 10,623 | $560 million | $52,751 | 3,546 | $45,848 | 4.1% |
| Cumberland County | 9,818 | $232 million | $23,616 | 1,444 | $45,970 | 3.4% |
| Richmond County | 9,095 | $396 million | $43,562 | 2,727 | $46,751 | 4.1% |
| Mathews County | 8,540 | $261 million | $30,506 | 1,576 | $41,476 | 3.5% |
| Franklin City | 8,250 | n/a | n/a | 3,982 | $41,607 | 5.6% |
| Lexington City | 7,525 | n/a | n/a | 5,378 | $50,009 | 4.8% |
| Rappahannock County | 7,427 | $390 million | $52,490 | 1,528 | $48,556 | 3.1% |
| Galax City | 6,726 | n/a | n/a | 5,805 | $41,651 | 3.7% |
| King and Queen County | 6,695 | $218 million | $32,611 | 1,120 | $56,428 | 3.3% |
| Charles City County | 6,627 | $358 million | $54,070 | 1,782 | $59,048 | 4.0% |
| Buena Vista City | 6,593 | n/a | n/a | 2,512 | $51,168 | 3.7% |
| Surry County | 6,549 | $1,485 million | $226,801 | 2,173 | $99,138 | 3.9% |
| Bland County | 6,199 | $283 million | $45,729 | 1,942 | $58,824 | 3.3% |
| Covington City | 5,680 | n/a | n/a | 3,728 | $57,912 | 4.8% |
| Emporia City | 5,547 | n/a | n/a | 3,366 | $41,303 | 7.5% |
| Craig County | 4,856 | $152 million | $31,298 | 760 | $52,718 | 4.0% |
| Bath County | 4,100 | $327 million | $79,760 | 2,231 | $56,442 | 2.6% |
| Norton City | 3,577 | n/a | n/a | 3,064 | $45,715 | 4.3% |
| Highland County | 2,296 | $111 million | $48,189 | 615 | $44,493 | 3.1% |
233,596 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024).
$26,767 million in 2024 (BEA, current dollars).
4.2% in 2026M09 (BLS, not seasonally adjusted; the latest month may be revised).
144,085 jobs on average in 2024 with an average annual pay of $72,432 (BLS QCEW).