Neighborhoods
Chesapeake / Great Bridge
Off-Post$1,600 to $2,100/mo
Popular with senior enlisted and officers, excellent schools, 30 min to base
Virginia Beach / Kempsville
Off-Post$1,700 to $2,200/mo
Strong schools, beach access, east VA Beach closer to base
Portsmouth / Churchland
Off-Post$1,400 to $1,800/mo
Adjacent to Norfolk, affordable, convenient but check neighborhoods carefully
Suffolk / Harbour View
Off-Post$1,700 to $2,200/mo
Western Hampton Roads, newer development, great schools, growing military community
Schools
Chesapeake City Schools
Grades K to 12
Consistently top-rated in Hampton Roads, a major draw for military families
Virginia Beach City Schools
Grades K to 12
Large district, strong overall, varies by area within the city
Suffolk City Schools
Grades K to 12
Newer schools in Harbour View area are the best-performing
Housing Intel
On-Post Housing
Various on-base neighborhoods managed by Lincoln Military Housing. High demand, apply immediately upon receiving orders.
Off-Post Rental Market
Hampton Roads is a competitive rental market. Virginia Beach and Chesapeake are most popular but pricier.
Commute
Hampton Roads traffic is notoriously bad, tunnels create major bottlenecks. Budget extra time for tunnel crossings. Many sailors use base parking and carpool.
Installation Highlights
- Largest naval base in the world, 75,000+ service members and their families
- Atlantic and Pacific Fleet assets home-ported here
- Hampton Roads has extensive military support infrastructure
- Virginia Beach provides ocean access and recreation
- Strong job market for military spouses in the federal contractor ecosystem