City comparison
Norfolk, VA is about 80 miles (125 km) from Richmond, VA in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 100 miles, or about 1 h 45 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 Richmond, VA takes about 10 min, covering roughly 80 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 227,171 in Richmond — about the same size. By land area, Richmond covers about 60 sq mi vs 53 sq mi for Norfolk.
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 | Richmond | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,188/mo | $1,227/mo | 3.3% higher in Richmond |
| Median home value | $254,200 | $308,300 | 21.3% higher in Richmond |
| Median household income | $60,998 | $59,606 | 2.3% higher in Norfolk |
| Groceries index | 96.9 | 96.9 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 90.0 | 89.7 | ≈ equal (Norfolk slightly higher) |
| Transportation index | 98.8 | 98.8 | ≈ equal (Richmond slightly higher) |
| Healthcare index | 98.3 | 98.3 | ≈ equal (Richmond slightly higher) |
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 $99,836 in Richmond to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Norfolk and Richmond have nearly identical overall cost-of-living indices. If you earn $80,000 in Norfolk, you'd need about $79,869 in Richmond to keep the same standard of living.