Property Tax in Norfolk city, Virginia
The median real estate tax bill in Norfolk city, Virginia is $2,738 per year, and the median home is worth $271,900. Both figures are the US Census Bureau's survey medians for owner-occupied households (US Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates, 2023).
What the Norfolk city numbers mean
The median is the midpoint of the county's actual bills: half of Norfolk city homeowners pay more than $2,738 a year and half pay less. The exact bill for any one home depends on its assessed value, exemptions, and which school, municipal and special districts cover it.
Set against the median home value of $271,900, the median bill works out to a derived effective rate of 1.01%. That rate is an estimate computed from the two medians — no county publishes a rate calculated this way — but it adjusts for home prices, which makes comparisons between counties more meaningful.
Norfolk city by the numbers
| Measure | Norfolk city | Virginia | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median real estate taxes paid | $2,738 | $2,686 | $2,969 |
| Median home value | $271,900 | $360,700 | $303,400 |
| Derived effective rate* | 1.01% | 0.74% | 0.98% |
| Median tax per month | $228 | $224 | $247 |
*Estimate derived from Census medians (tax ÷ value), not an official rate.
Norfolk city at a glance
- Median tax rank in Virginia: #23 of 133 counties
- Median home value rank in Virginia: #58 of 133
- Population rank in Virginia: #9 of 133 (235,037 residents)
- Population density rank: #6 of 133 (4,412 people per square mile)
- Land area rank in Virginia: #100 of 133 (53 sq mi, 0.1% of the combined county land area)
- Median tax as a monthly figure: $228; per $1,000 of home value: $1.01
How Norfolk city compares
The median tax bill in Norfolk city is about the same as the state median ($2,686 for Virginia) and about 8% lower than the US median ($2,969 nationally). By median taxes paid, the county ranks #23 out of 133 Virginia counties with published Census data — 22 counties in the state have a higher median bill.
Comparisons cut both ways: a county can have a modest rate but high bills because homes are expensive, or a high rate but modest bills because homes are cheaper. Norfolk city's derived rate of 1.01% sits above the derived US figure of 0.98%.
Some extra context for Norfolk city: the median bill works out to about $228 a month, and the derived rate equals roughly $1,007 of tax per $100,000 of home value. The county is home to 235,037 people — the #9 most populous county in Virginia, spread over 53 square miles, a density of about 4,412 people per square mile. Its median home value, $271,900, ranks #58 among the state's 133 counties with data.
Zooming out: of 3133 counties nationwide with published Census figures, only 554 record a higher median tax bill than Norfolk city — it sits in the top 18% nationally. The county holds roughly 2.7% of Virginia's people. Its homes are worth less than the state norm (median $271,900 versus $360,700), and a decade at the derived rate of 1.01% adds up to about 10.07% of the median home's value in tax. The cheapest county in the state, Buchanan County, medians $404 — $2,334 less than Norfolk city per year.
Counties nearest Norfolk city in the Virginia ranking
| County | Median tax paid | Median home value | Derived rate* |
|---|---|---|---|
| James City County, VA | $2,786 | $419,200 | 0.67% |
| Clarke County, VA | $2,757 | $538,900 | 0.51% |
| York County, VA | $2,676 | $411,200 | 0.65% |
| Chesterfield County, VA | $2,636 | $336,700 | 0.78% |
How the tax is worked out
Think of the final bill as three ingredients: the assessed value of the property, the exemptions subtracted from it, and the combined rate of every district the property sits in. Norfolk city's medians imply a derived rate of 1.01%; applied illustratively, a $400,000 home would owe about $4,028 a year, or around $336 a month spread evenly. Individual properties depart from the illustration in both directions.
Checking your assessment in Norfolk city
Believe your assessment is too high? The practical order of attack is: obtain your record card and audit it line by line; collect comparable recent sales in Norfolk city; ask the assessor's office to correct anything plainly wrong; and, if the value still seems off, lodge a formal appeal ahead of the deadline printed on your assessment notice. Windows are short — often 30 to 90 days — and late appeals are usually rejected outright, however strong the case.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the median property tax in Norfolk city, Virginia?
The median real estate tax paid in Norfolk city, Virginia is $2,738 per year, on a median home value of $271,900 (US Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates, 2023).
What is the effective property tax rate in Norfolk city, Virginia?
Dividing Norfolk city's median tax bill ($2,738) by its median home value ($271,900) gives a derived effective rate of 1.01%. This is an estimate computed from two Census survey medians — it is not the county's official tax rate.
How does Norfolk city compare with the rest of Virginia?
By median taxes paid, Norfolk city stands at #23 among the 133 Virginia counties the Census publishes figures for. Its $2,738 median bill is about the same as the state median ($2,686), and 22 counties in the state record a higher median.
How are property taxes calculated in Norfolk city, Virginia?
The assessor estimates your property's market value; exemptions (such as a homestead exemption) reduce the taxable amount; and the result is multiplied by the combined rates of the local taxing districts — county, municipality, school district and any special districts. In Norfolk city, the median outcome of that process is a bill of $2,738 on a median home value of $271,900.
Can I appeal my property tax assessment in Norfolk city, Virginia?
Yes — appeals are handled locally. Start with the Norfolk city assessor's property record card for your home, correct any factual errors, and back your case with comparable recent sales. Formal appeals go to the review board named on your assessment notice and must be filed by its deadline, typically within 30 to 90 days.