Metro area profile · Virginia
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC metro area market data
How the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk metro area compares with other metro areas for 56 business types: competitors, household spending, official counts and growth.
- Population, 2025
- 1,797,213
- +0.9% since 2020
- Households
- 707,408
- Median household income
- $82,330
- Median home value
- $340,900
- Jobs located here
- 729,464
- Highest market score
- 75
- Insurance agencies, #58 of 387 scored metro areas
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk metro area by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk metro area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
The Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk metro area has an estimated 1,797,213 people and 707,408 households. Population estimates put the population change in the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk metro area from 2020 to 2025 at +0.9%, slower than the U.S. (+3.1%). Median household income in the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk metro area is $82,330, 2% above the U.S. median of $80,734.
Relative to the U.S., household spending in the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk metro area runs highest on vehicle insurance (an index of 126, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on memberships, classes and admissions (82).
Of the business types scored in the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk metro area, insurance agencies (75), gas stations (71) and chiropractors (66) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For insurance agencies, that ranks #58 of 387 scored metro areas.
The Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk metro area takes in 18 counties: Virginia Beach city, VA; Chesapeake city, VA; Norfolk city, VA; Newport News city, VA; and 14 more. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for pest control companies (71% above the U.S. rate) and lowest for urgent care and walk-in clinics (40% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk metro area
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk metro area with other metro areas for that business type, from 0 to 100. Spending per listing divides a whole spending line (all vehicle repairs, all eating out) by one type’s listings: the demand for each competitor, not a business’s revenue. Compare it across markets with its index, where 100 is the U.S. figure for the same type; the real estate types, whose line is all housing costs, show the index only. How the score works.
| Business type | Score | Rank among metro areas | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Insurance agencies | 75 | #58 of 387 | 807 | 11.4 | $2.2M | 172 | 539 |
| Gas stations | 71 | #58 of 387 | 550 | 7.8 | $3.7M | 156 | 507 |
| Chiropractors | 66 | #76 of 386 | 240 | 3.4 | $3.5M | 144 | 128 |
| Roofing and gutters | 65 | #74 of 381 | 216 | 3.1 | $9.9M | 117 | 114 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 65 | #78 of 387 | 615 | 8.7 | $4.6M | 125 | 331 |
| Pet stores | 65 | #82 of 382 | 115 | 1.6 | $5.9M | 130 | 54 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | 65 | #110 of 385 | 339 | 4.8 | $3.2M | 111 | 649 |
| Oil change and quick lube | 63 | #76 of 290 | 33 | 0.5 | $19.6M | 143 | 42 |
| Pet businesses | 63 | #94 of 387 | 638 | 9.0 | $1.1M | 121 | 399 |
| Home repair trades | 62 | #100 of 387 | 832 | 11.8 | $2.6M | 106 | 1,097 |
| Veterinarians | 62 | #102 of 384 | 224 | 3.2 | $3M | 111 | 183 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | 61 | #52 of 197 | 18 | 0.3 | $46M | 188 | 51 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 61 | #106 of 387 | 602 | 8.5 | $4.7M | 114 | 355 |
| Electricians | 60 | #111 of 383 | 181 | 2.6 | $11.8M | 99 | 364 |
| Collision repair and body shops | 60 | #127 of 381 | 156 | 2.2 | $4.1M | 135 | 157 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | 58 | #134 of 386 | 231 | 3.3 | $2.9M | 115 | 162 |
| Home inspectors | 56 | #84 of 243 | 44 | 0.6 | Index only | 97 | 33 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 55 | #151 of 387 | 435 | 6.1 | $4.9M | 103 | 619 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 55 | #155 of 387 | 684 | 9.7 | $1.6M | 96 | 1,273 |
| Grocery stores | 54 | #175 of 387 | 422 | 6.0 | $10.5M | 113 | 274 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 53 | #170 of 387 | 760 | 10.7 | $1.1M | 111 | 530 |
| Auto repair and car care | 53 | #178 of 387 | 2,182 | 30.8 | $296K | 110 | 993 |
| Auto repair shops | 53 | #179 of 387 | 1,321 | 18.7 | $490K | 110 | 665 |
| Child care and preschools | 52 | #184 of 387 | 387 | 5.5 | $925K | 92 | 366 |
| Funeral homes | 50 | #175 of 377 | 123 | 1.7 | $742K | 109 | 71 |
| Car washes and detailing | 50 | #188 of 387 | 228 | 3.2 | $2.8M | 113 | 127 |
| Laundromats | 48 | #185 of 364 | 90 | 1.3 | $15.6M | 125 | 74 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 48 | #202 of 387 | 7,088 | 100.2 | $401K | 108 | 3,693 |
| House cleaning | 48 | #204 of 375 | 176 | 2.5 | $6.2M | 98 | 507 |
| Pizza | 47 | #218 of 387 | 522 | 7.4 | $5.4M | 107 | 1,694 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 45 | #233 of 387 | 1,102 | 15.6 | $1.3M | 100 | 602 |
| Tire shops | 45 | #234 of 386 | 251 | 3.5 | $2.6M | 103 | 115 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 44 | #247 of 387 | 1,529 | 21.6 | $920K | 105 | 759 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 43 | #244 of 387 | 1,317 | 18.6 | $3.4M | 99 | 622 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 43 | #252 of 387 | 6,131 | 86.7 | $135K | 89 | 2,028 |
| Dry cleaners | 42 | #177 of 272 | 82 | 1.2 | $17.2M | 109 | 83 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 42 | #244 of 387 | 1,005 | 14.2 | $2.8M | 93 | 1,694 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | 40 | #269 of 387 | 557 | 7.9 | $1.5M | 84 | 940 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 40 | #274 of 387 | 4,149 | 58.7 | $684K | 103 | 1,643 |
| Gyms | 40 | #278 of 387 | 506 | 7.2 | $1.1M | 87 | 234 |
| Optometrists and eye care | 40 | #282 of 386 | 287 | 4.1 | $2.9M | 92 | 113 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 40 | #286 of 387 | 975 | 13.8 | $587K | 89 | 402 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | 39 | #267 of 347 | 140 | 2.0 | $4.1M | 101 | 234 |
| Property management | 39 | #278 of 374 | 214 | 3.0 | Index only | 94 | 449 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | 39 | #294 of 387 | 329 | 4.7 | $1.7M | 86 | 168 |
| Pest control | 38 | #259 of 345 | 169 | 2.4 | $6.5M | 64 | 117 |
| Spas and skin care | 37 | #313 of 387 | 747 | 10.6 | $897K | 102 | 196 |
| Physical therapy | 35 | #312 of 386 | 442 | 6.2 | $1.9M | 78 | 266 |
| Convenience stores | 34 | #298 of 387 | 717 | 10.1 | $6.2M | 78 | 348 |
| Barbershops | 33 | #317 of 387 | 432 | 6.1 | $1.6M | 82 | 49 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | 33 | #333 of 373 | 301 | 4.3 | Index only | 95 | 215 |
| Hair salons | 32 | #356 of 387 | 1,729 | 24.4 | $388K | 90 | 554 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 30 | #363 of 387 | 3,476 | 49.1 | $193K | 91 | 1,063 |
| Real estate | 29 | #373 of 387 | 3,279 | 46.4 | Index only | 79 | 1,946 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 29 | #375 of 387 | 2,720 | 38.5 | Index only | 75 | 1,039 |
| Nail salons | 28 | #363 of 387 | 495 | 7.0 | $1.4M | 81 | 250 |
Household spending in the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk metro area
What households here spend in a year on each line, in total and per household, with the index against the U.S. average (100).
| Spending line | A year, all households | Per household | Index vs. U.S. (100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle maintenance and repairs | $646.9M | $915 | 95 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $2B | $2,891 | 111 |
| Food away from home | $2.8B | $4,014 | 99 |
| Groceries | $4.4B | $6,246 | 99 |
| Personal care products and services | $670M | $947 | 94 |
| Child care and other personal services | $358M | $506 | 87 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $572.3M | $809 | 82 |
| Medical and dental services | $828.6M | $1,171 | 91 |
| Pets | $678.6M | $959 | 105 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $1.4B | $1,989 | 97 |
| Vehicle insurance | $1.7B | $2,460 | 126 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $2.1B | $3,026 | 100 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $1.1B | $1,553 | 110 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $11.2B | $15,777 | 95 |
Household spending is estimated from the incomes of the households in each neighborhood, using what households at each income spent nationally in 2024, adjusted for the region. It counts what residents spend, wherever they spend it.
Population and households in the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk metro area
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 1,797,213+0.9% since 2020
- Households
- 707,408
- Median age
- 39.1
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 63%
- Vehicles per household
- 1.8
- Land area
- 3,202 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 558
- Median household income
- $82,330
- Average household income
- $108,120
- Median home value
- $340,900
- Jobs located here
- 729,464
- Daytime population
- 1,773,219Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk metro area?
These figures cover the whole metro area. A site report draws rings around one address and counts what’s inside them: households, spending, jobs, and the competitors on map listings by name and distance, for any of the 56 business types.
Or open the report at the center of the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk metro area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardRelated markets
Counties in the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk metro area 18
- Virginia Beach city, VA456,349 people
- Chesapeake city, VA252,583 people
- Norfolk city, VA233,596 people
- Newport News city, VA184,216 people
- Hampton city, VA137,557 people
- Suffolk city, VA98,796 people
- Portsmouth city, VA97,190 people
- James City County, VA81,013 people
- York County, VA71,005 people
- Isle of Wight County, VA39,974 people
- Gloucester County, VA39,526 people
- Currituck County, NC30,601 people
- Williamsburg city, VA15,798 people
- Poquoson city, VA12,639 people
- Camden County, NC10,927 people
- Gates County, NC10,376 people
- Mathews County, VA8,540 people
- Surry County, VA6,549 people
Other markets based in Virginia 11
- Richmond, VA metro area1,341,248 people
- Roanoke, VA metro area314,986 people
- Lynchburg, VA metro area263,798 people
- Charlottesville, VA metro area224,335 people
- Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA metro area181,664 people
- Winchester, VA-WV metro area146,386 people
- Harrisonburg, VA metro area136,992 people
- Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA metro area126,822 people
- Danville, VA area102,070 people
- Martinsville, VA area63,638 people
- Lake of the Woods, VA area37,822 people
Questions
How fast is the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC metro area growing?
Population estimates put the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk metro area at 1,797,213 people in 2025, up 0.9% since 2020, slower than the U.S. (+3.1%). It has 707,408 households.
How much do households in the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC metro area spend?
Households in the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk metro area spend about $11.2B a year on rent and homeowner costs, $4.4B on groceries and $2.8B on food away from home. Set against the U.S., households in the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk metro area spend the most on vehicle insurance (an index of 126, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on memberships, classes and admissions (82).
Which business types have the highest market scores in the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC metro area?
The highest Groundwork market scores in the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk metro area are for insurance agencies (75), gas stations (71) and chiropractors (66). The Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk metro area ranks #58 of 387 scored metro areas for insurance agencies.
How does the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC metro area compare with the U.S.?
The median household income in the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk metro area is $82,330 a year, 2% above the U.S. median of $80,734. The population rose 0.9% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $340,900, against $332,700 for the U.S. For its number of households, the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk metro area has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for pest control companies (71% above the U.S. rate) and the fewest for urgent care and walk-in clinics (40% below the U.S. rate).
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. All 56 business types have a score in the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk metro area, each ranked against other metro areas.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk metro area. It maps the competitors on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
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