City comparison
Norfolk, VA is about 10 miles (10 km) from Portsmouth, VA in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 10 miles, or about 10 min 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 Norfolk, VA to Portsmouth, VA takes about 1 min, covering roughly 10 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.
Norfolk has a population of 236,973, vs 97,384 in Portsmouth — about 2.4× larger by population. By land area, Norfolk covers about 53 sq mi vs 33 sq mi for Portsmouth.
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 | Norfolk | Portsmouth | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,188/mo | $1,225/mo | 3.1% higher in Portsmouth |
| Median home value | $254,200 | $213,300 | 19.2% higher in Norfolk |
| Median household income | $60,998 | $57,154 | 6.7% higher in Norfolk |
| Groceries index | 96.9 | 96.9 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 90.0 | 90.0 | ≈ equal |
| Transportation index | 98.8 | 98.8 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 98.3 | 98.3 | ≈ equal |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Norfolk, you'd need $100,123 in Portsmouth to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Norfolk and Portsmouth have nearly identical overall cost-of-living indices. If you earn $80,000 in Norfolk, you'd need about $80,098 in Portsmouth to keep the same standard of living.