Norfolk and the Hampton Roads Region
Norfolk sits at the center of Hampton Roads, the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk metro area. About 1.8 million people live in the metro, which takes in cities and counties on both sides of the harbor in Virginia plus three counties in northeastern North Carolina (U.S. Census Bureau estimate, July 2025).
Southside and the Peninsula
Locals divide the region in two. The Southside includes Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Portsmouth and Suffolk. The Peninsula includes Hampton, Newport News, Poquoson, Williamsburg and York and James City counties. Tunnels and bridge-tunnels connect the two sides, so where you work can shape where you look for a home.
Norfolk at a glance
- An independent city of about 231,000 residents (Census estimate, July 2025) with roughly 53 square miles of land and 43 square miles of water.
- Downtown has a working waterfront with Nauticus and the Battleship Wisconsin.
- Ghent and North Ghent are National Register historic districts known for homes built around 1890 to 1912 in Queen Anne, Colonial Revival and Shingle styles.
- Ocean View has more than seven miles of free public beach on the Chesapeake Bay, with three city beach parks.
- Other landmarks include the 175-acre Norfolk Botanical Garden, the Chrysler Museum of Art (free admission), Old Dominion University and Norfolk State University.
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Getting Around and Working in Hampton Roads
Crossing the water
- Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel (I-64) links Hampton and Norfolk. A major expansion is adding new tunnels and widening about 10 miles of I-64, with completion scheduled for 2027 (VDOT, as of September 2026).
- Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel (I-664) links Newport News and Suffolk.
- Downtown and Midtown tunnels connect Norfolk and Portsmouth and are tolled.
- Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel runs 17.6 miles from Virginia Beach to the Eastern Shore.
Transit and travel
- The Tide light rail serves 11 stations through downtown Norfolk to Newtown Road.
- The Elizabeth River Ferry carries passengers between Norfolk and Portsmouth.
- Norfolk International Airport (ORF) offers flights on several major airlines, and Amtrak's Northeast Regional stops at the Norfolk station.
Major employers
- Naval Station Norfolk, described by Military OneSource as the largest naval complex in the world, plus Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story.
- Newport News Shipbuilding (HII), which builds aircraft carriers and submarines and employs more than 26,000 people.
- The Port of Virginia, whose largest terminal, Norfolk International Terminals, is in Norfolk.
- Sentara Health, whose flagship hospital is Sentara Norfolk General.
Relocating on military orders? Start with the Military OneSource Plan My Move checklist and review VA home loan options.
Norfolk Home Buyer Checklist
- Check the flood zone before you make an offer. Norfolk has recurring tidal flooding. Look up any address with the city's Forerunner flood map, NorfolkAIR or FEMA's Flood Map Service Center. Lenders require flood insurance in high-risk zones (AE, AH, AO and VE).
- Line up flood insurance early. Standard homeowners policies do not cover flooding, and National Flood Insurance Program policies usually have a 30-day waiting period.
- Budget for property taxes. Norfolk's real estate tax rate is $1.23 per $100 of assessed value, paid in four installments (September 30, December 5, March 31 and June 5). The city also taxes vehicles each year; active-duty service members who are not Virginia residents may qualify for an exemption. Rates as of September 2026 - confirm on the city's tax pages.
- Confirm the school assignment for the address. Use the Norfolk Public Schools zone maps; boundaries were updated for the 2026-27 school year.
- Set up utilities. Water service comes from the City of Norfolk Department of Utilities (757-664-6700); electricity comes from Dominion Energy.
- Handle your first-60-day tasks. New Virginia residents have 60 days to get a Virginia driver's license and 30 days to title and register vehicles (Virginia DMV).
- Plan for hurricane season, which runs June 1 through November 30.
Facts checked September 2026 from official city, state and federal sources. Rates, deadlines and boundaries can change - confirm with the offices linked above.
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