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COUNTY · 1990 CENSUS

Chesapeake

Virginia · 151,976 residents · 338 sq mi
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The short version

With 151,976 people, Chesapeake is a county in Virginia. Owners hold 73% of the housing stock. There are 47,208 fewer people here than in 2000. Poverty is uncommon here, at 9.0% of people here. Households take in $35,737 a year at the median, 19% more than the country as a whole. 17% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $30,130
Younger
median age 31.3
US median: 33.0
Less educated
17% 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
151,976
−24%vs 2000
vs 199,184 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Median age
31.3
−10%vs 2000
vs 34.7 in 2000
US average: 33.0
Land area
338 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
142K172K202K232K263K19902000201020202024Chesapeake
2024253K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 1990
Under 58.2%(12,441)
US avg: 7.3%
5 to 98.5%(12,911)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 147.6%(11,626)
US avg: 6.9%
15 to 197.1%(10,826)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 246.7%(10,226)
US avg: 7.5%
25 to 3419.1%(29,037)
US avg: 17.5%
35 to 4416.8%(25,559)
US avg: 15.1%
45 to 5410.3%(15,693)
US avg: 10.2%
55 to 647.2%(10,884)
US avg: 8.5%
65 to 745.6%(8,497)
US avg: 7.3%
75 to 842.1%(3,200)
US avg: 4%
85 and over0.7%(1,076)
US avg: 1.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$35,737
−7%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $50,743 in 2000
US average: $30,130
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$13,817
−34%vs 2000
vs $20,949 in 2000
US average: $14,340
Poverty rate
9.0%
+1.6 ptsvs 2000
vs 7.3% in 2000
US average: 13.2%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$87,800
−3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $119,700 in 2000
US average: $93,722
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$494
+1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $642 in 2000
US average: $450
Owner-occupied
73.0%
−1.9 ptsvs 2000
vs 74.9% in 2000
27.0% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic65.9%(131,200)
Black28.3%(56,442)
Hispanic / Latino2%(4,076)
Asian1.8%(3,638)
Other0%
1990
White, non-Hispanic70.7%(107,395)
Black27.4%(41,643)
Hispanic / Latino1%(1,575)
Asian1.2%(1,815)
Other0.7%(1,123)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

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

Hispanic origin
Mexican2.5%(6,377)
Puerto Rican2.1%(5,331)
Central American1.1%(2,799)
South American0.7%(1,756)
Cuban0.4%(919)
Salvadoran0.3%(881)
Ecuadorian0.3%(728)
Guatemalan0.3%(715)
Spaniard0.2%(544)
Colombian0.2%(509)
Honduran0.2%(487)
Panamanian0.2%(461)
+ 7 more hispanic origin groups with data
Dominican0.2%(430)
Peruvian0.2%(380)
Nicaraguan0.1%(173)
Chilean0%(49)
Bolivian0%(41)
Asian origin
Filipino2%(5,117)
Korean0.4%(1,047)
Vietnamese0.3%(774)
Chinese0.3%(750)
Asian Indian0.3%(718)
Pakistani0.1%(353)
Japanese0.1%(338)
Thai0.1%(144)
Kazakh0%(75)
Hmong0%(63)
Taiwanese0%(36)
+ 2 more asian origin groups with data
Laotian0%(18)
Nepalese0%(16)
Pacific Islander origin
Chamorro0.1%(250)
Samoan0%(77)
Ancestry
English11.6%(29,366)
Irish9.5%(24,081)
German9.3%(23,382)
American7%(17,599)
Italian4.2%(10,488)
Polish1.8%(4,558)
Scottish1.7%(4,285)
French1.7%(4,239)
Scotch-Irish1.1%(2,735)
West Indian0.8%(2,047)
Norwegian0.7%(1,680)
+ 46 more ancestry groups with data
French Canadian0.5%(1,381)
Dutch0.5%(1,304)
Swedish0.5%(1,303)
Welsh0.5%(1,182)
Greek0.4%(1,121)
British0.4%(889)
Jamaican0.3%(816)
Nigerian0.3%(786)
Hungarian0.3%(755)
Russian0.3%(723)
Portuguese0.3%(708)
Haitian0.3%(693)
Arab0.3%(657)
Ukrainian0.2%(587)
Lithuanian0.2%(518)
Danish0.2%(447)
Canadian0.2%(402)
Swiss0.2%(399)
Slovak0.2%(386)
Romanian0.1%(375)
Finnish0.1%(328)
Czech0.1%(305)
Lebanese0.1%(269)
Austrian0.1%(232)
Ghanaian0.1%(225)
Brazilian0.1%(209)
Kenyan0.1%(209)
Croatian0.1%(179)
Egyptian0.1%(157)
Bulgarian0.1%(136)
Barbadian0.1%(134)
Ethiopian0.1%(130)
Belgian0%(102)
Armenian0%(94)
Turkish0%(89)
Iranian0%(88)
Serbian0%(47)
Syrian0%(42)
Moroccan0%(39)
Latvian0%(26)
Guyanese0%(21)
Slovene0%(9)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
16.9%
−7.8 ptsvs 2000
vs 24.7% in 2000
US average: 20.3%
High school or higher
77.1%
−8.0 ptsvs 2000
vs 85.1% in 2000
US average: 75.2%
Graduate degree
5.1%
−3.7 ptsvs 2000
vs 8.8% in 2000
US average: 7.1%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
21.6 min
+40%vs 2000
vs 15.4 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 married32.9%(32,398)
Married56.6%(55,656)
Widowed2.3%(2,245)
Divorced8.2%(8,096)
Women 15+
Never married28.2%(29,382)
Married52.1%(54,216)
Widowed7.7%(7,962)
Divorced12%(12,516)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured
5.8%
−4.0 ptssince 2013
from 9.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
55.8%
−1.1 ptssince 2020
from 56.9% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
12.0%
−0.3 ptssince 2020
from 12.3% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
16.1%
+0.8 ptssince 2020
from 15.3% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
15.4%
+4.6 ptssince 2020
from 10.8% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
5.2%
+0.8 ptssince 2020
from 4.4% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
76.6%
−2.6 ptssince 2020
from 79.2% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
32.9%
+5.1 ptssince 2020
from 27.8% in 2020
US average: 36.7%

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)50.3%(14,389)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)45%(12,861)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era19.8%(5,660)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War1.4%(388)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.6%(171)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 28,583 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
Drill deeper

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Head to head

Compare Chesapeake to nearby counties

CHESAPEAKE VS
Portsmouth
Income$60,491+69%
Home value$246,900+181%
Population96,777−62%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CHESAPEAKE VS
Virginia Beach
Income$92,968+160%
Home value$382,500+336%
Population453,737+78%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CHESAPEAKE VS
Norfolk
Income$66,109+85%
Home value$289,900+230%
Population231,013−10%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CHESAPEAKE VS
Suffolk
Income$92,666+159%
Home value$347,400+296%
Population104,699−59%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Chesapeake, Virginia?

Chesapeake, Virginia has about 151,976 residents according to the 1990 Census.

What is the median household income in Chesapeake, Virginia?

The typical household in Chesapeake, Virginia earns about $35,737 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Chesapeake, Virginia expensive?

In Chesapeake, Virginia, the median home is worth about $87,800, and the typical rent is about $494 a month.

How educated are people in Chesapeake, Virginia?

About 16.9% of adults age 25 and over in Chesapeake, Virginia hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Chesapeake, Virginia?

About 9.0% of people in Chesapeake, 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 →