Portsmouth is a city of 97,190 people in Virginia. Households here earn about 35% less than in Virginia as a whole. About 24% of adults have finished a four-year degree. 3% of residents were born outside the United States. There are 2,919 people per square mile. This skews young, with a median age of 35.9.
At a glance
Lower income
median household income $60,491, 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
Unique to this place
What stands out about Portsmouth
What changed most since 1990
Hispanic share1.4% → 5.4%(+4.0 pts)US over the same years: +9.9 pts
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans
Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)44.8%(4,064)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)32.1%(2,916)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era22.3%(2,020)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War2.5%(226)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.3%(31)
US avg: 1%
Share of the 9,074 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Over time
Portsmouth, decade by decade
Portsmouth population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
103,907
$59,044
$159,845
11.6%
65.3
2000
100,565
$61,466
$147,554
13.8%
67.8
2010
95,535
$65,438
$259,518
18.7%
69.7
2020
97,915
$64,496
$211,137
20.8%
73.9
2024
97,190
$60,491
$246,900
24.3%
76.8
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
