2022 Best Suburbs to Live in the Norfolk Area

• Suburb of Newport News, VA

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  Rating 4.35 out of 5  128 reviews

Nearby Resident: Williamsburg is one of the most beautiful cities in the United States. At least as far as I’m concerned. I love all of the history. Williamsburg is clean and well cared for. It has the small Town feel with so much to offer. Colonial Williamsburg, Jamestown settlement, and Yorktown or just a few wonderful places to visit. You never see dogs running around unattended or large amounts of debris or trash left on the road. Everyone is so friendly and willing to help. Williamsburg has a huge retirement community I have learned so much living here. Colonial Williamsburg it’s one of my favorite places. If you come to Williamsburg I would highly recommend the Cheese shop. They have the best sandwiches. Moving from Springfield Missouri to Williamsburg Virginia was one of the best decisions my mother ever made. I love it here. Probably one of the reasons I am pursuing it the college of William and Mary it is a beautiful campus and of course close to home. I love Williamsburg!... Read 128 reviews

• grade A

• grade A minus

• Population 15,299

• City in Virginia

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  Rating 3.99 out of 5  1,848 reviews

Current Resident: Lots of great dinning options. Local gems like Citrus that was featured on diners drive ins and dives. A diverse population. Strong military presence, visit the Wisconsin for some military history and a sense of national pride! Be aware that there will be rush hour traffic and bridge opening you should plan your traveling around. Of course the local beaches are amazing but visit when it’s not the peak of summer! Unless you want to come for something in the water, it was canceled because of the pandemic but the previous year was amazing. A lot of big name performers have concerts at Veterans United. There is a lot of outdoor fun to be had too! Rent paddle boards or kayaks for a fun day on the water. Or experience whale watching and dolphin tours, and my favorite the pirate ship tour!... Read 1,848 reviews

• grade A

• grade A

• Population 457,658

• Suburb of Norfolk, VA

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  Rating 3.93 out of 5  720 reviews

Current Resident: Chesapeake overall has a very safe and welcoming community. A large number of residents are current or former military and this means the area is full of people from all over. Chesapeake has very good schools that offer kids amazing opportunities, like the many High school academies. Chesapeake also has great parks and outdoor experiences for kids. The reason it doesn't get a perfect score is how boring it is, currently ranked #3 most boring city in the US. While it does get remedied a little by Chesapeake's proximity to Virginia Beach and other more eventful areas. Overall, Chesapeake is a great place to live if you want a safe, friendly place for your family.... Read 720 reviews

• grade A minus

• grade A

• Population 247,172

• Suburb of Hampton, VA

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  Rating 3.24 out of 5  25 reviews

Current Resident: Bought a home here last August. Friendly Food Lion employees, clean store, and plenty of buggy’s. We do our best to support all the businesses in Poquoson: Philly Cheesesteak, The 185, LaBella Salon, Poquoson auto shop, Metro gas station, Rite Aid, Poquoson Gifts, car wash, Surf’s Up, Bean’s Ice Cream, Mama Mia Pizza, Anna’s, etc. My husband loves watching the jets, and I love the small town feel, and the water way down Messick. We might be “Move-In’s, according to other reviewers, but I’d feel the same I bet, to see a lot of newbies in my town. It’s expected, and I respect them for caring that much about their beloved town. I’m hoping the new builds don’t take away that feeling. We love it here.... Read 25 reviews

• grade B+

• grade A minus

• Population 12,382

• Suburb of Hampton, VA

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  Rating 3.74 out of 5  27 reviews

Current Resident: I love how close it is to everything, but yet a quiet and peaceful area. There are so many things to do, as it is only 15 minutes from the beautiful downtown Smithfield.... Read 27 reviews

• grade B+

• grade B

• Population 7,171

• City in Virginia

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  Rating 3.58 out of 5  390 reviews

Current Resident: Excellent place to live, lots of outdoor spaces to wander in nature and excellent museums. Close to colleges and great shopping areas!... Read 390 reviews

• grade B

• grade B minus

• Population 185,069

• Town in Virginia

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  Rating 4.06 out of 5  36 reviews

Current Resident: Smithfield is a small, cute town that is pretty rural. The type of rural town where you see pig trucks go to the packing plant. The schools are pretty average when it comes to education, the only real plus is that they have college classes you can take for free. The schools are overpopulated though.... Read 36 reviews

• grade B

• grade B

• Population 8,513

• City in Virginia

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  Rating 3.71 out of 5  297 reviews

Current Resident: Hampton is underrated; we are a creative community with beautiful surroundings and several activities to be involved in. The Hampton roads consist of beaches and family areas for working class people. Similar to New York, Hampton is a melting pot filled with several cultures and races from around the world. Hampton is diverse and offers great opportunities for families and those who are starting off with a family. If you are a shopper, Hampton is the place for you, we provide several shopping centers and unique places for dinning. If indoors is not a priority on your list, we also provide several parks for children and or a romantic night out. The education system in Hampton seems to be unique as well! We have wonderful schools that children can attend close to their families. Lastly, Hampton is full of churches for those that embrace their religious identity. There are several places to worship in Hampton rather you are Pentecostal or Baptist, Hampton has several places for you.... Read 297 reviews

• grade B

• grade B minus

• Population 136,748

• Suburb of Norfolk, VA

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  Rating 3.8 out of 5  275 reviews

Current Resident: Pretty decent and quiet neighborhood. Small population hence everyone is friendly to everyone! I’ve had my neighbor mow my lawn occasionally and people look out for the older generation a lot compared to other places I have lived. Quite a good retirement city I would say and conveniently located to other hampton road communities.... Read 275 reviews

• grade B

• grade C+

• Population 93,268

• Suburb of Newport News, VA

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  Rating 3.73 out of 5  15 reviews

Current Resident: Gloucester Point is a waterside community that still manages to be diverse. You have the convenience of nearby grocery stores, hair salons, etc. all being a short drive away. The community strives to incorporate new, young families and provides public schools to do so.... Read 15 reviews

• grade B minus

• grade B minus

• Population 11,313

• Town in Virginia

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  Rating 4 out of 5  2 reviews

Current Resident: Gloucester Courthouse has a quaint small town Main Street full of activity for all ages. Enjoy concerts on the lawn, jogging with your fellow community members, parades throughout the year, safe trick or treating, and the well known Daffodil Festival. It’s enjoyable to either walk or drive Main Street to see community members out walking, with or without their dog. Teens enjoy taking to a bicycle ride to get a local treat at the cafe. Several local restaurants bring fabulous cuisine to life. Local artists paint murals and adorn the streets with spectacular statues. Many local businesses line the area to offer community members with the expert services they desire. There’s a little something for everyone in the family at Gloucester Courthouse.... Read 2 reviews

• grade B minus

• grade B minus

• Population 3,198

• Town in Virginia

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  Rating 3.2 out of 5  177 reviews

Current Resident: I like Portsmouth. Portsmouth has a historical feel that makes locals and tourists have plenty of fun in the city. However, I would like to see the city public schools in Portsmouth have more STEAM programs, Reading Literacy programs, and music programs for students to succeed in their curriculum. Portsmouth Public Schools is the lowest, as far as SOL Test scores, in Hampton Roads. There has to be a change ASAP.... Read 177 reviews

• grade B minus

• grade C+

• Population 97,454

• Suburb of Newport News, VA

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  Rating 4.23 out of 5  52 reviews

Current Resident: Yorktown is safe and welcoming town that has a friendly community. The schools are great and have teachers who are passionate about their jobs and actually care about their students. Everything is pretty local and traffic is never bad. The Yorktown river nearby is great for leisure and has decent restaurants next to the beach. I do wish there was more things to do within Yorktown besides the beach, but it has plenty of fun things in the surrounding Newport News and Williamsburg area such as escape rooms and the Newport News park.... Read 52 reviews

• grade A minus

• grade A

• Population 256

• Town in Virginia

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  Rating 2.83 out of 5  6 reviews

Niche User: Smithfield has a low crime rate. Crimes do not happen a lot.... Read 6 reviews

• grade unavailable

• grade unavailable

• Population 831