What it's like to live in Suffolk
Suffolk is a smaller city in Virginia with unemployment below the national average, household incomes running above the national average, a population that has grown fast since 2020, and schools with class sizes near the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Suffolk deals with commute times longer than most cities, a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin, above-average rainfall, and a car-dependent commute, with few people using transit.
The good
- Low unemployment
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Fast-growing population
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Above-average commute times
- High rent burden for renters
- Above-average rainfall
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Suffolk compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Suffolk
Based on Suffolk's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,126
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $62,520 a year
- 53% of Suffolk renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$69,480
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $34,740
- Homes cost 3.7× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 11% above US
$1,563/mo median rent
Rent is pretty middle of the road, at $1,563 a month median. Not a bargain, not a budget-buster. About typical for a city this size. Home prices run above average, with a median around $347,400. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.
Median home value $347,400 · 53% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▼ 16% below US
3.6% unemployment
Unemployment here is 3.6%, a little below the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▲ 11% above US
365 violent crimes per 100k
Crime runs about typical for a city this size. Some neighborhoods are safer than others, and one overall rate doesn't tell the whole story, so a neighborhood-level look matters more than the headline stat.
Property crime 1251/100k · Suffolk Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 16% above US
30 min average commute
Traffic is a real factor here. The 30.2 minute average means plenty of commuters are pushing 45 to 60 minutes on a bad day. Proximity to work matters more here than it might elsewhere. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 11% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 85°F, and winters are chilly but manageable, with lows around 33°F. 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 & workforceNear US average
33% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 33% college-educated. It's a mix of white-collar and blue-collar work, which can be an asset or a limitation depending on the field.
Schools
22 public schools inside the boundary
There are 22 public schools inside the boundary and 2 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 16:1, close to 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 Fort Monroe National Monument (29 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Suffolk's strongest points are unemployment below the national average and household incomes running above the national average; the main tradeoffs are commute times longer than most cities and a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin. A year of median rent ($1,563/mo) equals 20% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive.
Other places near Suffolk
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