City comparison
Newark, NJ is about 275 miles (450 km) from Norfolk, VA in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 350 miles, or about 6 h behind the wheel at highway speeds.
Driving distance is a rough estimate (great-circle × 1.25); driving time assumes a 60 mph blended average. Real trips run 10–20% longer with stops.
A direct flight from Newark, NJ to Norfolk, VA takes about 34 min, covering roughly 275 miles in a straight line. Connecting itineraries with a layover typically add 1–3 hours.
Block-to-block estimate at ~500 mph cruise, including taxi, climb, and descent — what an airline would publish, not pure airborne time.
Newark has a population of 307,355, vs 236,973 in Norfolk — about 1.3× larger by population. By land area, Norfolk covers about 53 sq mi vs 24 sq mi for Newark.
Population from US Census ACS. Land area from the Census Gazetteer (city proper, excluding inland water).
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Newark | Norfolk | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,273/mo | $1,188/mo | 7.2% higher in Newark |
| Median home value | $312,300 | $254,200 | 22.9% higher in Newark |
| Median household income | $46,460 | $60,998 | 31.3% higher in Norfolk |
| Groceries index | 109.6 | 96.9 | 13.1% higher in Newark |
| Utilities index | 128.8 | 90.0 | 43.1% higher in Newark |
| Transportation index | 105.4 | 98.8 | 6.7% higher in Newark |
| Healthcare index | 105.3 | 98.3 | 7.2% higher in Newark |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Newark, you'd need $78,490 in Norfolk to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Norfolk, VA is about 21.5% cheaper overall than Newark, NJ, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 45% higher in Newark than in Norfolk. If you earn $80,000 in Newark, you'd need about $62,792 in Norfolk to keep the same standard of living.