Norfolk

Norfolk, VA is a charming independent waterfront city located in the Hampton Roads or “Tidewater” region of coastal Virginia. With a population of 238,005 people, it is the third largest city in Virginia.

History

Norfolk was incorporated as a city in 1705, and houses the largest Naval base in the world, Naval Station Norfolk. It is also an important component of The Port of Virginia, with miles of coastline on both the Elizabeth River and the Chesapeake Bay for trade. 

The Nauticus Museum is a maritime science center and museum located on the downtown waterfront in Norfolk, Virginia. It features interactive exhibits, an aquarium, and educational programs that explore the economic, naval, and natural history of the coastal area. The Hampton Roads Naval Museum is dedicated to preserving the naval history of the region, and includes a self-guided or audio tour of the Battleship Wisconsin, one of the largest and last battleships ever built by the US Navy and now permanently on display at the museum.

Demographics

Norfolk is a healthily diverse city, due in part to it’s military affiliations and port city status. Of the 238k people living within the independent city, 44.8% are white, 40.7% are black or African American, 8.7% Hispanic or Latino, 3.8% Asian, 6.7% Two or More Races, and 0.6% Other. The median age of a resident of Norfolk is 30.4 years, and the gender distribution is pretty even, at 49.1% female to 50.9% male.

The median household income in Norfolk is $54,869 and 32% of the city has a bachelor’s degree or higher level of education. 89% have graduated high school. 7.4% of Norfolk residents are foreign-born, and 10.7% speak a language other than English at home. Nearly 10% of the population of the City of Norfolk are American veterans.

Climate

Norfolk’s climate is humid subtropical, with relatively cold winters and hot, muggy summers. The average temperature ranges from 34°F in January to 88°F in July. The city receives about 47 inches of rain and 5 inches of snow per year, with most of the precipitation occurring in the form of rain showers. Norfolk also experiences frequent thunderstorms in the summer and occasional hurricanes or their remnants in late summer and early autumn. Norfolk has 215 sunny days per year on average, which is slightly higher than the US average of 205. Norfolk’s climate is influenced by its location along the Elizabeth River, the Hampton Roads canal, and the Chesapeake Bay, which moderate the temperature and increase the humidity.

Coastal Communities

Ocean View and Willoughby Spit are two coastal neighborhoods in Norfolk, Virginia, that offer scenic views of the Chesapeake Bay and plenty of recreational opportunities. Ocean View strip is several miles of shoreline on the Chesapeake Bay, with well-kept public beaches, shady parks with groves of Bay Oaks Trees, and the longest fishing pier in America. Ocean View also hosts festivals, concerts, and events at the Ocean View Beach Park, which has a stage, a fountain, and a playground and sits right at the edge of the Bay, with pristine views.

Willoughby Spit is a peninsula at the tip of Norfolk with a delightfully jaunty name. The Peninsula was formed by a hurricane in 1806, and has an excellent small-town beach town vibe. Willoughby Spit has many pedestrian access points to the bay, and is home to the historic Sarah Constant Beach Park, where the first settlers of Jamestown landed in 1607.

Notable Events

The Norfolk St. Patrick’s Day Parade  is an annual event that celebrates the Irish heritage and culture of the city and its residents. The parade, founded  in 1967, is one of the oldest and largest in Virginia, attracting thousands of spectators and participants every year. The parade features marching bands, floats, clowns, vintage decorated cars, and candy and prizes and merch thrown into the crowd like Irish Mardis Gras. Each year there is a Grand Marshal and a Miss Saint Patrick appointed. The parade is known for it’s raucous after-party with live music, food, and drinks in the street.

The Stockley Gardens Arts Festival is a charming outdoor arts festival each spring offering free admission, live music and food vendors to accompany an international selection of artists in a variety of mediums selling their wares.

Schools

Norfolk is home to Old Dominion University, a public research university which was founded in 1930 as a division of the College of William & Mary, and became an independent institution in 1962. It has more than 24,000 students enrolled in over 175 academic programs, ranging from bachelor's to doctoral degrees. It is classified as an R1 research university by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, and has a strong focus on engineering, health sciences, education, and business. ODU is known for its diverse and vibrant campus community, its innovative and forward-focused approach to education, and its contributions to the economic and social development of Norfolk.