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CITY · 1990 CENSUS

Portsmouth

Virginia · 103,907 residents · 33.301 sq mi
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The short version

Portsmouth has lower-than-average household income, with a median household income of $24,601. Population has held roughly steady since 2000. 12% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national rate of 20%. Median home value is $66,600. Households here earn about 26% less than the Virginia median.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $30,130
Mid-age
median age 31.9
US median: 33.0
Less educated
12% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 20%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $93,722
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
103,907
+3%vs 2000
vs 100,565 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Median age
31.9
−8%vs 2000
vs 34.5 in 2000
US average: 33.0
Population, 1990 – 2024
94K97K100K102K105K1990201020202024Portsmouth
202497K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 1990
Under 58.4%(8,747)
US avg: 7.3%
5 to 97.4%(7,655)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 147.2%(7,450)
US avg: 6.9%
15 to 196.7%(6,981)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 248%(8,348)
US avg: 7.5%
25 to 3418%(18,730)
US avg: 17.5%
35 to 4412.9%(13,429)
US avg: 15.1%
45 to 549.1%(9,478)
US avg: 10.2%
55 to 648.5%(8,870)
US avg: 8.5%
65 to 748.7%(9,013)
US avg: 7.3%
75 to 844%(4,130)
US avg: 4%
85 and over1%(1,076)
US avg: 1.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$24,601
−4%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $33,742 in 2000
US average: $30,130
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$11,158
−32%vs 2000
vs $16,507 in 2000
US average: $14,340
Poverty rate
17.7%
+1.6 ptsvs 2000
vs 16.2% in 2000
US average: 13.2%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$66,600
+8%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $81,000 in 2000
US average: $93,722
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$416
+1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $540 in 2000
US average: $450
Owner-occupied
55.9%
−2.7 ptsvs 2000
vs 58.6% in 2000
44.1% rent
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%
1990
White, non-Hispanic51.4%(53,408)
Black47.3%(49,112)
Hispanic / Latino1.4%(1,427)
Asian0.7%(727)
Other0.6%(660)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

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
11.6%
−2.2 ptsvs 2000
vs 13.8% in 2000
US average: 20.3%
High school or higher
66.6%
−8.5 ptsvs 2000
vs 75.2% in 2000
US average: 75.2%
Graduate degree
3.9%
−0.8 ptsvs 2000
vs 4.7% in 2000
US average: 7.1%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
20.3 min
+36%vs 2000
vs 14.9 min in 2000
US average: 21.9
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status (2024)
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 103,907 residents according to the 1990 Census.

What is the median household income in Portsmouth, Virginia?

The typical household in Portsmouth, Virginia earns about $24,601 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 $66,600, and the typical rent is about $416 a month.

How educated are people in Portsmouth, Virginia?

About 11.6% 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 17.7% of people in Portsmouth, Virginia live below the federal poverty line.

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

How we source and harmonize this data →