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CITY

Portsmouth

Virginia · 96,777 residents (2025 est.) · 33.301 sq mi
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The short version

Portsmouth has notably lower household income than the US average, with a median household income of $60,491. Population has declined 3% since 2000. Median home value has roughly tripled since 2000, reaching $246,900. Households here earn about 35% less than the Virginia median.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 35.9
US median: 38.9
Less educated
24% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 67%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
97,190
−3%since 2000
from 100,565 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
2,919 / sq mi
−3%since 2009
from 3,023 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
35.9
+4%since 2000
from 34.5 in 2000
US average: 38.9

PEP 2025 EST:96,777 residents (Census Bureau Vintage 2025, released March 2026)

Population, 1990 – 2024
94K97K100K102K105K1990201020202024Portsmouth
202497K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 57%(6,783)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 95.9%(5,713)
US avg: 6%
10 to 146.7%(6,555)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 195.5%(5,373)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 247.1%(6,865)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3416.5%(15,997)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4413.4%(12,988)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5410.5%(10,165)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6412.1%(11,714)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 749.5%(9,203)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 844.4%(4,294)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over1.6%(1,540)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$60,491
−2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $33,742 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$33,568
+103%since 2000
from $16,507 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
39.3%
+16.0 ptssince 2009
from 23.3% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
17.3%
+1.2 ptssince 2000
from 16.2% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.449
+11%since 2010
from 0.404 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information13.5%
US avg: 10.8%
Retail trade12.9%
US avg: 9.9%
Wholesale trade6.5%
US avg: 6.9%
Finance & insurance6%
US avg: 5.9%
Other services5.3%
US avg: 6.7%
Professional, scientific, technical5%
US avg: 5.1%
Public administration3.5%
US avg: 4.8%
Transportation & warehousing1.4%
US avg: 2.2%
Arts, entertainment, food1.2%
US avg: 1.9%
Education & health services1%
US avg: 0.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.1%
US avg: 1.6%
Manufacturing0.1%
US avg: 0.4%
Construction0%
US avg: 1.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$246,900
+67%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $81,000 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,300
+32%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $540 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
57.9%
−0.6 ptssince 2000
from 58.6% in 2000
42.1% rent
Vacancy rate
7.0%
−1.9 ptssince 2009
from 8.9% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Owner cost-burdened
34.3%
−4.4 ptssince 2009
from 38.8% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
55.6%
+3.7 ptssince 2009
from 51.9% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
4.1
+7%since 2009
from 3.8 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
36
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Portsmouth on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic45.1%(45,403)
Black50.3%(50,569)
Hispanic / Latino1.7%(1,748)
Asian0.8%(762)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic35.4%(34,405)
Black50.2%(48,784)
Hispanic / Latino5.4%(5,225)
Asian1.6%(1,552)
Other7.4%(7,224)
Diversity Score
77
+11%since 2009
from 69 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican1.9%(1,818)
Puerto Rican1.8%(1,775)
Spaniard0.2%(236)
Cuban0.2%(163)
Dominican0.2%(153)
Salvadoran0.1%(128)
Guatemalan0.1%(87)
Panamanian0.1%(70)
Colombian0.1%(63)
Nicaraguan0.1%(62)
+ 4 more hispanic origin groups with data
Peruvian0%(45)
Honduran0%(42)
Chilean0%(4)
Asian origin
Filipino0.7%(669)
Asian Indian0.2%(237)
Chinese0.2%(231)
Korean0.1%(141)
Vietnamese0.1%(112)
Japanese0%(38)
Mongolian0%(29)
Burmese0%(28)
Malaysian0%(28)
Uzbek0%(24)
Cambodian0%(23)
Pakistani0%(12)
+ 2 more asian origin groups with data
Pacific Islander origin
Chamorro0%(14)
Fijian0%(13)
Ancestry
English7.9%(7,658)
American6.6%(6,447)
German5.2%(5,053)
Irish4.9%(4,777)
Italian2.3%(2,199)
Scottish1.2%(1,139)
West Indian1.1%(1,033)
Arab0.9%(860)
Polish0.8%(798)
Jamaican0.7%(719)
French0.7%(663)
+ 40 more ancestry groups with data
Moroccan0.6%(604)
Scotch-Irish0.5%(471)
Nigerian0.4%(412)
Dutch0.4%(344)
British0.3%(336)
Swedish0.3%(330)
Welsh0.3%(259)
Greek0.2%(210)
Haitian0.2%(194)
Norwegian0.2%(188)
Russian0.2%(149)
Romanian0.1%(136)
Canadian0.1%(127)
Ghanaian0.1%(101)
Czech0.1%(93)
Portuguese0.1%(90)
Ukrainian0.1%(82)
Lebanese0.1%(74)
Slovak0.1%(70)
Hungarian0.1%(67)
Iraqi0.1%(64)
Syrian0.1%(63)
Austrian0.1%(61)
Danish0.1%(56)
Turkish0.1%(50)
Egyptian0%(44)
Israeli0%(41)
Swiss0%(32)
Ethiopian0%(25)
Kenyan0%(17)
Armenian0%(13)
Brazilian0%(11)
Finnish0%(7)
Slovene0%(7)
RANKED:Largest English population · Largest American population · Largest German population · Largest Irish population · Largest Subsaharan African population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
24.3%
+10.5 ptssince 2000
from 13.8% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
89.0%
+13.9 ptssince 2000
from 75.2% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
8.9%
+4.2 ptssince 2000
from 4.7% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
23.7 min
+59%since 2000
from 14.9 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
71.1%
−6.8 ptssince 2009
from 77.8% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
12.3%
+1.9 ptssince 2009
from 10.4% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
1.6%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 1.6% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
8.7%
+2.9 ptssince 2009
from 5.8% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
3.2%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 3.4% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.4%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.5% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
12.0%
+1.9 ptssince 2009
from 10.1% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
6.6%
−1.7 ptssince 2011
from 8.2% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
63.8%
−1.4 ptssince 2011
from 65.3% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Self-employed
13.0%
−2.5 ptssince 2009
from 15.5% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
34.7%
−28.7 ptssince 2009
from 63.4% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
47.9%
−0.5 ptssince 2009
from 48.4% in 2009
Female
52.1%
+0.5 ptssince 2009
from 51.6% in 2009
Foreign born
3.3%
+0.6 ptssince 2009
from 2.7% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
12.8%
−32.5 ptssince 2009
from 45.4% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
17.0%
+1.6 ptssince 2012
from 15.4% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
7.4%
−79.2 ptssince 2013
from 86.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
88.0%
+14.4 ptssince 2017
from 73.6% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
English only at home
94.7%
−0.4 ptssince 2016
from 95.1% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
2.9%
+0.3 ptssince 2016
from 2.5% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married43.5%(16,032)
Married43.4%(16,028)
Widowed2.6%(946)
Divorced10.5%(3,888)
Women 15+
Never married37.6%(15,490)
Married38.5%(15,882)
Widowed9.2%(3,796)
Divorced14.7%(6,077)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Portsmouth, Virginia?

Portsmouth, Virginia has about 97,190 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Portsmouth, Virginia?

The typical household in Portsmouth, Virginia earns about $60,491 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Portsmouth, Virginia expensive?

In Portsmouth, Virginia, the median home is worth about $246,900, and the typical rent is about $1,300 a month.

How educated are people in Portsmouth, Virginia?

About 24.3% of adults age 25 and over in Portsmouth, Virginia hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Portsmouth, Virginia?

About 17.3% of people in Portsmouth, Virginia live below the federal poverty line.

Has Portsmouth, Virginia grown since 1990?

Yes, Portsmouth, Virginia has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 6,717 residents, a change of about -6 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →