What it's like to live in Portsmouth
Portsmouth is a small city in Ohio with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, commutes that run shorter than most cities, and schools with smaller class sizes than the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Portsmouth deals with county unemployment above the national average, household incomes below the national average, crime rates above the national average, and air quality that falls short of national benchmarks.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Short commutes
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Above-average unemployment in the county
- Below-average household incomes
- Crime above national average
- Air quality concerns
- Low college degree attainment
- Shrinking population
How Portsmouth compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Portsmouth
Based on Portsmouth's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$1,494
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $29,880 a year
- 53% of Portsmouth renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$20,660
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $10,330
- Homes cost 3.0× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 47% below US
$747/mo median rent
Rent here is genuinely low, with median rent around $747 a month. Money stretches further here than in most of the country. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $103,300. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $103,300 · 53% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
6.7% county unemployment
Unemployment in Scioto County is 6.7%, well above the national average of 4.3%. Moving with a job already lined up matters more here. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Scioto County (county-wide)
Safety▲ 98% above US
653 violent crimes per 100k
Crime is a real factor here, with violent rates significantly above the national average. That doesn't make the whole city a write-off, but it does mean specific neighborhoods deserve real research before signing a lease.
Property crime 3119/100k · Portsmouth Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 21% below US
21 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 20.6 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 9 in 10 workers drive to work.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 85°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 25°F and snow a regular occurrence. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
2 hospitals
There are 2 Medicare-certified hospitals inside city limits. They average 4.0 out of 5 on Medicare's star rating.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 52% below US
17% bachelor's degree or higher
This is a working-class city, and college degree rates reflect that. Trades, manufacturing, and service industries tend to dominate the local economy, which is a strength for some fields and a real constraint for others.
Schools
4 public schools inside the boundary
There are 4 public schools inside the boundary and 4 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Hopewell Culture National Historical Park (40 miles away). There are 4 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Portsmouth's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are county unemployment above the national average and household incomes below the national average. A year of median rent ($747/mo) equals 26% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget and people who want short commutes. It may be a harder fit for anyone moving without a job lined up and anyone who doesn't drive.
Other places near Portsmouth
All Ohio guides →Moving to Chillicothe →
40 mi away · pop. 21,902
Rent $887/mo · Income $54,086
Compare with Portsmouth →Moving to Circleville →
59 mi away · pop. 14,142
Rent $955/mo · Income $60,296
Compare with Portsmouth →Not sure Portsmouth is the one?
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