Norfolk's two crime numbers pull in different directions. Violent crime sits 23% above the national average; property crime sits 93% above, so the property figure, not the violent one, is what most separates Norfolk from the typical US jurisdiction, and on measured crime the city ranks in the 9th percentile of the 13,216 jurisdictions SafeNest grades. The 12.6% year-over-year drop in violent crime in 2024 is real movement, and SafeNest classifies the trend as improving. Schools split the same way: an average of 5.5/10 across 49 rated schools contains high schools at 6.8/10 and middle schools at 4.0/10, so the answer depends on which years a child is in. Virginia's 16 flood declarations and 18 hurricane declarations are state-level records, not a parcel determination. Every figure here is a city-wide average; none of it describes a street.
Crime in Norfolk vs. the national average
Norfolk reports 470 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, 23% above the U.S. average of 381, and 3,772 property crimes per 100k versus a national 1,954 (93% above). In the most recent FBI reporting year (2024), the violent crime rate fell 12.6% year over year, a pattern SafeNest classifies as improving.
| Norfolk | US average | |
|---|---|---|
| Violent crime (per 100k) | 470 | 381 |
| Property crime (per 100k) | 3772 | 1954 |
City-wide averages hide block-by-block variation — the safest and least safe neighborhoods in Norfolk can differ dramatically. For a specific address, a SafeNest report covers it directly — or search free in the iPhone app.
Flood & natural hazard risk
Federal disaster records for Virginia — the state SafeNest uses for Norfolk's flood context — list 16 FEMA flood disaster declarations between 1957 and 2021, most recently "Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides". Virginia has also seen 18 hurricane or tropical-storm declarations, events that frequently drive flooding. These are state-level federal declarations, not a parcel-level flood-zone determination — a specific Norfolk address may sit inside or well outside a FEMA flood zone, which SafeNest does not determine; check FEMA's flood maps and flood-insurance requirements for that address.
Schools in Norfolk
Public schools in Norfolk average 5.5/10 on the SafeNest School Score across 49 rated schools. By level, high schools rate strongest at 6.8/10 on average, while middle schools average 4.0/10.
Registered offenders
Registered-offender data is meaningful only at the address level, so SafeNest does not publish a city-wide figure for Norfolk: a single citywide number would blend blocks with very different profiles and mislead more than it informs. Registered offender counts by distance band for any specific Norfolk address are included in a SafeNest report, drawn directly from the state's public registry. The iPhone app shows that count free for any address, and maps each registrant with Premium.
Check a specific Norfolk address
City averages are a starting point. A SafeNest report covers one specific address — crime, registered offender counts, flood and disaster history, schools, air quality, taxes — delivered by email as a PDF for $6.99.
Or search any Norfolk address free in the iPhone app.
Common questions about safety in Norfolk
Is Norfolk, VA safe?
Norfolk records 470 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, 23% above the US national average of 381. Overall SafeNest grade: D, a city-wide average of reported crime. It does not describe a specific street or address.
What is the crime rate in Norfolk?
Norfolk reports approximately 470 violent crimes and 3772 property crimes per 100,000 residents in 2024, the most recent FBI reporting year in our data.
Does Norfolk have flood risk?
SafeNest reports federal disaster declaration history for the area. For Norfolk, federal records show 16 FEMA flood disaster declarations for Virginia, most recently in 2021; a specific address may still sit inside or outside a FEMA flood zone, which SafeNest does not determine — check FEMA's flood maps for that address.
How this page was built
Every figure here comes from the same public records behind SafeNest's grading. We published the full method and what it does and doesn't support in We graded 13,216 American cities with FBI data — including where a letter grade means almost nothing. City comparisons: safest cities in Virginia.
Other city safety reports
Data compiled from public sources including FBI crime statistics, FEMA disaster declarations and the FEMA National Risk Index, NCES education data, and state registries. Last updated 2026-08-17. Figures are city-level estimates; verify with primary sources before making decisions. SafeNest is not a consumer reporting agency (see Terms).