Are you love the Norfolk? Why? (Washington: high crime, job openings, neighborhoods)

[dosent]

Dear citizens of Norfolk, please write about your feelings toward the city. Are you ready to leave it? Do you like the city, residents, climate? Just curious to know this

[gundy0621]

i love norforlk

[xGrendelx]

I love it. I grew up here, and my family has owned a business here for 35 years, so I feel very much rooted to Norfolk. I just moved back after living in California for a year, and while California (San Francisco specifically) was cool for awhile, it made me appreciate my hometown more than ever.

I love the people and their diversity of backgrounds and heritage. The people here run the gamut of lifestyles, and there's a neighborhood for everyone. Compared to SF where it's like everyone is either rich or poor. I also feel like people here get along better despite the wide ranges of economic status. I never feel like there's tension.

I love the 400+ year history of Norfolk. I love its geographic location: on the water, close to mountains, connected to both the Northeast and the South (I believe someone on this forum described it perfectly: Bottom of the North, top of the South). I love the weather and the changing of the seasons. I like that Norfolk is beginning to establish itself as a serious city, and not just a harbor city, with projects like light rail and the rehabilitation of Berkley. I do love that it's a major port city, though. Seeing the cargo ships pulling into NIT with the cranes as tall as skyscrapers is pretty awesome. I love that one can hear the sound of trains blowing their horns off in the distance from just about anywhere in the city. I find that to be a soothing sound, especially at night. I love that events like the St. Patrick's Day Parade and Harborfest draw large crowds and get people out and about. I love that some of the best food I've ever had came from restaurants here despite the fact that Norfolk is not a "foodie" town and doesn't try to be.

And there's plenty of other reasons to love being here. Places like Chrysler Hall, Granby Street, Scope, the quiet beaches of Ocean View, and Town Point Park are all great reasons to enjoy this city. I figure that no matter where I may end up (which most likely won't be here), Norfolk will always be my hometown so I might as well be proud of what it is.

[dosent]

xGrendelx Thanks a lot for a complete answer! What do you think, this city is good for raising children? Does it calm of crime on the street? Does is unemployment has a High level?

[xGrendelx]

Originally Posted by dosent

xGrendelx Thanks a lot for a complete answer! What do you think, this city is good for raising children? Does it calm of crime on the street? Does is unemployment has a High level?

Glad I could help!


Some will disagree, but I think Norfolk is a fine place to raise children. I was raised in Norfolk, in a "less desirable" area (known as Norview), and while I may have experienced a few things that most kids don't, I really enjoyed my time there. However when my sister and I got older, and my mother could afford to move, we moved. But I've never stopped having a relationship with that area because my family runs a business there, so I still spend a huge chunk of my time there.

I assume that if you plan on raising kids here, than schools would be important to you. Many folks think the schools in this city are terrible, but I'm positive the experience varies. Booker T. Washington High School and Norview High School have a reputation for being rough, as do the neighborhoods around them. I've heard that Lake Taylor High can be the same, but I don't really know much about it. My advice would be to live where your kids would attend either Granby High School or Maury High School. Both are fine schools in my opinion.

As far as crime goes in Norfolk, it's like most places. There are high crime neighborhoods and neighborhoods where there's very little crime. Either way, crime in this city tends to get exaggerated (especially here on City-Data). I recently made a "safety map" of Norfolk to show where the high crime neighborhoods are, as well as the safer ones. I think it could help you out:

Norfolk Safety Map - Google Maps

Someone else may be able to inform you about unemployment here. The only thing I'd be able to tell you is what I read on Norfolk's City-Data info page. According that, Norfolk has an unemployment rate of 8.8%.

[Coconut1]

Originally Posted by xGrendelx

Someone else may be able to inform you about unemployment here. The only thing I'd be able to tell you is what I read on Norfolk's City-Data info page. According that, Norfolk has an unemployment rate of 8.8%.

It was posted in the paper yesterday. If they're really interested I can go dig it out.

[sbullet]

Originally Posted by xGrendelx

Someone else may be able to inform you about unemployment here. The only thing I'd be able to tell you is what I read on Norfolk's City-Data info page. According that, Norfolk has an unemployment rate of 8.8%.

dont forget to consider the fact that ODU and EVMS college students are included in that count, as well as all the hoodlums that live in Norfolk. If you discount them out of the equation, the unemployment rate probably isn't as bad as 8%.

[Coconut1]

Originally Posted by sbullet

dont forget to consider the fact that ODU and EVMS college students are included in that count, as well as all the hoodlums that live in Norfolk. If you discount them out of the equation, the unemployment rate probably isn't as bad as 8%.

That's not true.

You can read more about how the unemployment figure is calculated here,
How the Government Measures Unemployment

But in general:

Who is counted as unemployed?

Persons are classified as unemployed if they do not have a job, have actively looked for work in the prior 4 weeks, and are currently available for work. Actively looking for work may consist of any of the following activities:

• Contacting:
  • An employer directly or having a job interview
  • A public or private employment agency
  • Friends or relatives
  • A school or university employment center
• Sending out resumes or filling out applications
• Placing or answering advertisements
• Checking union or professional registers
• Some other means of active job search

Passive methods of job search do not have the potential to result in a job offer and therefore do not qualify as active job search methods. Examples of passive methods include attending a job training program or course, or merely reading about job openings that are posted in newspapers or on the Internet.

Generally students would not have been actively looking for a job, nor available for work due to their education obligation.