Photo: Bruce Emmerling · CC BY-SA 4.0How is Norfolk run?
Norfolk’s city government spent $1.2 billion on day-to-day services in the year to June 30, 2024, about $5,216 per resident. Water and other utilities ($51.6 million) and the airport ($39 million) are counted separately.
What stands out about how Norfolk is run
Read from the city’s budget, meetings and official records.
Who’s in charge in Norfolk
From public records with a current term; a name is hidden the day its term ends.
Council members and agencies: norfolk.gov ↗
About $5,216 per resident a year, or $14.29 a day
Schools are part of the city’s budget, so they lead the receipt: 38% of day-to-day spending.
Thank you for being a neighbor
Norfolk runs its own schools, so school spending is part of this budget. Comparisons are with Virginia cities that run their own schools.
$4,634 per resident in 2022, close to the middle of similar cities
Norfolk’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($4,634 per resident, hospital and utilities left out) against 34 Virginia cities that run their own schools: the median was $4,758, and the middle half spent $4,188–$5,540. Norfolk spent less than 53% of them.
Includes sewer and trash ($44.4 million), as the Census Bureau counts them. Later years come from a Census sample, so the comparison stays on 2022. How Town Hall compares budgets →
Virginia cities that run their own schools, 2022 Census of Governments (every government counted that year; Norfolk itself left out).
Day-to-day spending is up 8% since 2022
Day-to-day services, in dollars, in the years Norfolk reported to the Census Bureau. Prices rose too: about 4% a year in 2022–2024.
Day-to-day spending by fiscal year
Per resident: 2022: $4,634 · 2023: $5,012 · 2024: $5,216.
full-time in March 2025, up from 9,553 in 2022.
Building projects, interest and enterprises (hospital, utilities) are left out, so a big construction year doesn’t read as growth.
The typical homeowner pays $2,890 a year
Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 1.00% of the home’s value, vs 0.73% across Virginia.
Typical yearly bill next door and statewide
The Housing page’s calculator splits a monthly payment into loan, tax and insurance at Norfolk’s rate.
Can I afford it? →The median bill homeowners report to the Census survey (bills of $10,000+ are reported as “$10,000+”). The effective rate is that bill ÷ the median home value: a rough guide, not the official tax rate.
Tax bills are one input to Norfolk’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Norfolk →
Recent meetings
From Norfolk’s own agenda portal, checked daily. Agendas can change up to the meeting, so check before you go.
No upcoming meetings are posted yet.
Recent meetings
- Oct23GeneralFriday · 6:00 am2026 Rewards Credit Recorded WebinarMeeting page ↗
- Aug7NPCFriday · 12:00 pmREVIVE! - Law EnforcementMeeting page ↗
- Aug7NPCFriday · 12:00 pmREVIVE! - Training of TrainersMeeting page ↗
- Aug7NPCFriday · 12:00 pmREVIVE! - Prevent OverdoseMeeting page ↗
- Aug6NPCThursdayNPC-Did-You-KnowMeeting page ↗
Most meetings are open to the public, and many have a public comment period at the start.
Agenda portal ↗One full-time city employee for every 23 residents
On the payroll in March 2025, from the Census Bureau’s Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll. Residents: the Census population in the 2024 finance file (232,995).
By department full-time, plus part-time, March 2025
The Census reports one month’s payroll (March); yearly figures are that month × 12, an estimate. Part-timers count half in the bar lengths.
Norfolk City Public Schools
Norfolk’s K–12 school district. The schools are run by Norfolk, so this money is part of the budget above.
Of the $16,790 per pupil, $9,786 goes to the classroom (teachers, aides, supplies); the rest to buses, buildings, counselors and administration. Building projects and debt payments aren’t in the per-pupil figure.
Virginia districts overall: 49% local, 41% state, 10% federal.
School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.
How Norfolk voted in 2024
Official results for Norfolk’s own voters, as certified after the November 5, 2024 general election, with the county and the state beside them.
Kamala D HarrisDemocrat69.7%59,941 votes
Donald J TrumpRepublican28.3%24,377 votesOthers: 2.0% (1,691 votes).
Most votes in Norfolk: Kamala D Harris
Norfolk city: Harris 69.7%, Trump 28.3% · Virginia: Harris 51.8%, Trump 46.1%
of Norfolk’s 178,480 adult citizens voted for president in 2024. Across Virginia: 71%.
Votes ÷ citizens of voting age (Census CVAP, 2020–24 ACS).
Most votes in Norfolk: Timothy M Kaine
Norfolk city: Kaine 72.0%, Cao 27.8% · Virginia: Kaine 54.4%, Cao 45.4%
Most votes in the district: Robert C "bobby" Scott
Whole-district result
President, 2024: Norfolk, its county and the state
| Harris | Trump | Others | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Norfolk | 69.7% | 28.3% | 2.0% | 86,009 |
| Norfolk city | 69.7% | 28.3% | 2.0% | 86,009 |
| Virginia | 51.8% | 46.1% | 2.1% | 4,503,288 |
Official 2024 general election returns, as certified (MIT Election Data + Science Lab). Percentages are of votes for candidates; blank and spoiled ballots aren’t counted. Candidates are listed by votes, and party colors are neutral on purpose.
Portraits: Kamala D Harris: official vice-presidential portrait, Lawrence Jackson, The White House, 2021; Donald J Trump: official portrait, Shealah Craighead, The White House, 2017. All are U.S. government works in the public domain. A race shows photos only when every candidate has an official portrait; otherwise every candidate in it gets initials.
From town hall to Washington
Norfolk sends 4 representatives to the Virginia House alone.
- 1Your cityMayorKenneth Cooper Alexanderas listed by Open States, October 9, 2026
- 2Virginia House of DelegatesNorfolk is split between 4 districts
- 3Virginia SenateState senator
- 4GovernorStatewide
- 5U.S. HouseYour representative in Congress
- 6U.S. SenateBoth represent all of Virginia
Democrat · Republican · other or independent. Tap a name for their official page.
How Norfolk compares with the towns next door
Norfolk spent $4,634 per resident in 2022; the 4 neighbors that reported 2022 spent $4,079 to $4,570. Towns that run more services spend more. Tap a town to see its page.
| Town | Day-to-day, per resident (2022) | Tax bill |
|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach | $4,079 runs schools | $3,061 |
| Chesapeake | $4,162 runs schools | $3,108 |
| Hampton | $4,410 runs schools | $2,327 |
| Portsmouth | $4,570 runs schools | $2,557 |
| Norfolk | $4,634 | $2,890 |
Day-to-day spending in 2022, the last year every government was counted, for governments that reported it; hospital and utilities left out. Tax bill: the typical homeowner’s bill (Census ACS, 2020–24).
Reach Norfolk’s government
The official site has phone numbers, hours and forms. Neighbors add the rest to the Handbook.
Questions about Norfolk’s government
How much does Norfolk spend per resident?
About $5,216 per resident on day-to-day services in the year to June 30, 2024, as reported to the Census Bureau. In 2022, the last full count, its $4,634 was less than 53% of 34 Virginia cities that run their own schools.
What is the property tax rate in Norfolk?
Homeowners report a typical bill of $2,890 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 1.00% of the typical home’s value, vs 0.73% across Virginia. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see norfolk.gov.
Who is the mayor of Norfolk?
Kenneth Cooper Alexander, as listed by Open States (checked October 9, 2026). The council and agencies are listed on norfolk.gov.
How did Norfolk vote in 2024?
For president, Kamala D Harris 69.7%, Donald J Trump 28.3% (86,009 votes, official results). Norfolk city: Harris 69.7%, Trump 28.3%. Virginia: Harris 51.8%, Trump 46.1%.
How many people work for Norfolk?
10,065 full-time and 1,065 part-time employees in March 2025, with a March payroll of $64.2M (about $770.4M a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.
Who represents Norfolk in the state legislature?
Norfolk is split among 4 House of Delegates districts and 2 State Senate districts, so your address decides. The Virginia Legislature’s lookup finds yours. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.
Ask neighbors about Norfolk’s government
Neighbors who’ve been to the meetings can help.
Budget and staff: U.S. Census Bureau, Census of Governments (2022, every government) and Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023–24, a sample) and the Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll; day-to-day spending is current operations, with hospitals, utilities and airports apart. School district: Census school finance survey, 2023–24. Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 2020–24. Elections: official 2024 returns via the MIT Election Data + Science Lab; turnout uses Census citizen voting-age population (CVAP, 2020–24). Officials: Open States, names shown only with a current term (checked October 9, 2026). Districts: Census Bureau (119th Congress, 2024 state districts); legislators: Open States and congress-legislators. How Town Hall works →