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Living in
Portsmouth.
About
Life in Portsmouth
Living in Portsmouth means embracing a city that's deeply rooted in military and maritime heritage—the Norfolk Naval Shipyard is a major employer and cultural anchor—but also enjoying a surprisingly livable community where housing is still reasonably affordable compared to nearby Norfolk and Virginia Beach. The median home value sits around $247,000 with median rent at $1,300 a month, and with a median household income of about $60,000 and an unemployment rate of 4.3%, the job market is fairly stable, though you'll want to explore opportunities beyond shipyard work. The city's six historic districts—Olde Towne, Cradock, Park View, Port Norfolk, Downtown, and Truxtun—offer distinct neighborhoods with character, from Colonial Revival homes dating back to the early 1900s to waterfront areas undergoing genuine redevelopment rather than just tourism-focused transformation.
Portsmouth at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
35.9 yrs
Poverty Rate
17.3%
Foreign-Born
3.3%
Broadband Internet
88.0%
of households
Population Growth
-1.2%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics3.3% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Portsmouth: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Portsmouth, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (20.5%), and 2.9% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
23.0%
of residents
65 and Older
15.5%
of residents
Households with Kids
30.5%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
33.1%
of households
Married Couples
33.3%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.34
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 18% below VA average
Rent, home values, and income in Portsmouth
In Portsmouth, rent runs 18% below the VA average, and home values are 36% below the VA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
55.6%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
26.7%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
97.9
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$2,557
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
57.9%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1967
median year built
Vacant Homes
7.0%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $266,504 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.9 pts above VA average
Unemployment in Portsmouth and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Portsmouth is 0.9 percentage points higher than the VA average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Portsmouth Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC metro area
Commute23.7 min avg
How Portsmouth residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Portsmouth, most residents drive alone to work (71%), and 65% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 7 mi
Norfolk International Airport (ORF)
Medium hub2.5M passengers boarded in 2025
- 145 mi
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA)
Major hub12.0M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 135% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Portsmouth runs 135% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
773.1
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
3,263.7
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Portsmouth Police Department
Natural DisastersCoastal Flood most common — 19 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
54.0 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Portsmouth County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Portsmouth, the most common type is coastal flood, with 19 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 19 | Coastal Flood | $22,000 |
| 2024 | 1 | Flash Flood | None reported |
| 2023 | 7 | Flash Flood | $57,000 |
| 2022 | 6 | Coastal Flood | Not estimated |
| 2021 | 4 | Winter Weather | None reported |
| 2020 | 10 | Heavy Rain | $2,000 |
| 2019 | 8 | Heavy Rain | $2,000 |
| 2018 | 6 | Winter Weather | None reported |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Portsmouth city, county-wide
Air Quality33 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Norfolk city, VA (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 8 miles from Portsmouth) is typically good — 312 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
33
Good Days
312
per year
Moderate Days
51
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Norfolk city, VA (8 mi away)
Climate86°F summers, 36°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Portsmouth has warm summers (avg high 86°F) and mild winters (avg low 36°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
69°/50°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
86°/71°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
71°/56°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
52°/36°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
50.0"
Annual Snowfall
3.0"
Hot Days/Year
42
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
32
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
127
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 50°F | 34°F | 2.93" |
| Feb | 53°F | 35°F | 2.55" |
| Mar | 59°F | 41°F | 3.47" |
| Apr | 70°F | 50°F | 3.28" |
| May | 77°F | 60°F | 3.55" |
| Jun | 84°F | 68°F | 4.64" |
| Jul | 89°F | 73°F | 5.21" |
| Aug | 86°F | 72°F | 5.30" |
| Sep | 81°F | 67°F | 5.14" |
| Oct | 72°F | 56°F | 3.58" |
| Nov | 61°F | 45°F | 3.14" |
| Dec | 54°F | 38°F | 2.89" |
Healthcare2 hospitals, avg 3.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Portsmouth
Portsmouth has 2 hospitals, averaging 3.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating.
Hospitals
2
within city limits
Uninsured
7.4%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
3.0 / 5
Bon Secours Maryview Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nmc Portsmouth
Acute Care - Department of Defense · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Sentara Norfolk General Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 2.9 mi away · Norfolk
Childrens Hospital of the Kings Daughters Inc.
Childrens · ER available · 3 mi away · Norfolk
Bon Secours Harbour View Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 4.7 mi away · Suffolk
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education14.4:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Portsmouth
Portsmouth's student/teacher ratio is 14.4:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 24.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
23
within city limits
Private Schools
10
within city limits
College Degree Rate
24.3%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
14.4:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Portsmouth (within 15 miles)
Public · 4-year · 17,514 students · in-state tuition $13,250 · 55% graduate · median earnings $60,482 (10 yrs after entry)
Private for-profit · 2-year · 12,090 students · in-state tuition $18,484 · 52% graduate · median earnings $49,806 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 12,082 students · in-state tuition $6,012 · 25% graduate · median earnings $41,596 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 4-year · 5,392 students · in-state tuition $10,456 · 42% graduate · median earnings $49,237 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 4,729 students · in-state tuition $22,740 · 33% graduate · median earnings $51,408 (10 yrs after entry)
Virginia Peninsula Community College
14.6 mi awayPublic · 2-year · 3,941 students · in-state tuition $5,235 · 22% graduate · median earnings $41,835 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Fort Monroe National Monument, 11 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Portsmouth
Portsmouth has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Fort Monroe National Monument (11 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Fort Monroe National Monument
National Monument
11 mi awayCape Henry Memorial Part of Colonial National Historical Park
Part of Colonial National Historical Park
20 mi awayYorktown Battlefield Part of Colonial National Historical Park
Part of Colonial National Historical Park
26 mi awayColonial National Historical Park
National Historical Park
29 mi awayHistoric Jamestowne Part of Colonial National Historical Park
Part of Colonial National Historical Park
33 mi awayPetersburg National Battlefield
National Battlefield
66 mi awayRichmond National Battlefield Park
National Battlefield Park
67 mi awayWright Brothers National Memorial
National Memorial
70 mi awayPublic Libraries in Portsmouth
Portsmouth Main Library
601 Court Street, Portsmouth
Churchland Branch
4934 High Street West, Portsmouth
Cradock Branch
28 Prospect Parkway, Portsmouth
Manor Branch
1401 Elmhurst Lane, Portsmouth
Cities Near Portsmouth
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Portsmouth?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Portsmouth FAQ
Is Portsmouth, Virginia affordable?⌄
Portsmouth's median rent is $1,300/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $60,491/year. Median home value is $246,900.
Is Portsmouth, Virginia safe?⌄
Portsmouth's violent crime rate was 773 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is significantly above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 3264 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Portsmouth, Virginia?⌄
Portsmouth has an unemployment rate of 4.3%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Portsmouth, Virginia?⌄
The cost of living in Portsmouth is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,300/month and median household income is $60,491/year. The median home value is $246,900. About 56% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Portsmouth, Virginia?⌄
The average commute in Portsmouth is 24 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from