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Data from U.S. Census Bureau · 2026 · Methodology
CitySpend

Norfolk, VA

Population: 236,973 (2022) · Mid-Size Cities (100K–250K)

D
46/100

Below average — significant fiscal challenges in multiple areas

Total Spending
$12.1B
Per Capita
$50,880
Total Revenue
$17.4B
Total Debt
$324.7M

Spending Breakdown

Education
37.4%$4.5B
Other
19.2%$2.3B
Utilities
10.8%$1.3B
Hospitals
10.6%$1.3B
Housing & Community Development
7.7%$933.5M
Police
3.4%$407.1M
Parks & Recreation
3.1%$379.5M
Public Welfare
2.6%$310.7M
Highways & Roads
2.3%$281.1M
Fire Protection
1.6%$197.2M
Health
1.0%$123.1M
Sewerage
0.2%$22.8M

Spending data sourced from the Census Bureau's Annual Survey of State & Local Government Finances. Per-capita comparisons use the Lincoln Institute's Fiscally Standardized Cities methodology for fair cross-city benchmarking.

Revenue Sources

Property Tax
0.1%$23.1M
Sales Tax
1.8%$305.5M
Income Tax
1.2%$212.4M
Intergovernmental
6.7%$1.2B
Charges & Fees
6.4%$1.1B
Other
4.9%$852.2M

Per Capita Spending by Department

Police$1,718/person
Fire Protection$832/person
Highways & Roads$1,186/person
Parks & Recreation$1,601/person
Education$19,019/person
Health$519/person

Score Breakdown

Budget Balance & Reserves (25%)62/100
Debt Burden (20%)0/100
Pension Funding (20%)76/100
Spending Efficiency (15%)0/100
Revenue Diversity (10%)100/100
Trend Direction (10%)50/100

Debt Overview

Total Debt$324.7M
Long-Term Debt$87.9M
Debt Per Capita$1,370
Cash & Securities$88.6M

Compare Cities

See how Norfolk stacks up against another city.

vs Virginia Beach, VAvs Chesapeake, VAvs Arlington, VA
Data source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023). Population from American Community Survey.

Other Cities in Virginia

Virginia Beach, VA

Pop. 458K

D
Total Spending
$19.5B
Per Capita
$42,515

Chesapeake, VA

Pop. 249K

D
Total Spending
$11.4B
Per Capita
$45,860

Arlington, VA

Pop. 236K

C
Total Spending
$16.3B
Per Capita
$69,233

Richmond, VA

Pop. 227K

D
Total Spending
$14.0B
Per Capita
$61,661

Compare Norfolk With

Virginia Beach, VA

Spending: $42,515/person · Grade: D

Chesapeake, VA

Spending: $45,860/person · Grade: D

Arlington, VA

Spending: $69,233/person · Grade: C

Richmond, VA

Spending: $61,661/person · Grade: D

Frequently Asked Questions

Norfolk, VA spends $50,880 per resident, based on total expenditures of $12.1B for a population of 236,973. The city has a Fiscal Health Score of D (46/100).

Norfolk, VA has total expenditures of $12.1B and total revenue of $17.4B. The city carries $324.7M in total debt, based on Census Bureau data from 2023.

Norfolk, VA employs 0 government workers, of which 0 are full-time. The average government salary is $0, with 0.0 employees per 10,000 residents.

Norfolk, VA has a Fiscal Health Score of D (46/100). This score evaluates budget balance, debt burden, pension funding, spending efficiency, revenue diversity, and 3-year fiscal trajectory compared to peer cities of similar population.

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