United States › Virginia › Portsmouth city COUNTY · 2010 ACS
Portsmouth Virginia · 95,535 residents · 33.3 sq mi
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The short version
With 95,535 people, Portsmouth is a county in Virginia. About 19% of adults have finished a four-year degree. 3% of residents were born outside the United States. That trails the Virginia median by roughly 26%. Owners hold 59% of the housing stock. The typical home is worth $180,400, having more than doubled since 2000.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $52,703
Mid-age
median age 35.7
US median: 37.2
Less educated
19% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 28%
Less affordable
home values up 76%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $225,659
Section 01
Population & growth from 34.5 in 2000
US average: 37.2
Population, 1990 – 2024
94K 97K 100K 102K 105K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Portsmouth Age distribution, 2010
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Section 02
Income & economy $45,488
+6%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $33,742 in 2000
US average: $52,703
from $16,507 in 2000
US average: $27,286
Households earning $100K+
from 23.3% in 2009
US average: 33.3%
from 16.2% in 2000
US average: 13.8%
Workforce by industry, 2010
Professional, scientific, technical 4.4%
Public administration 3.3%
Arts, entertainment, food 2.4%
Transportation & warehousing 2.3%
Education & health services 0.8%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0.2%
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$180,400
+76%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $81,000 in 2000
US average: $225,659
$880
+29%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $540 in 2000
US average: $853
from 58.6% in 2000
41.2% rent
from 8.9% in 2009
US average: 12.1%
from 2.47 people in 2009
US average: 2.60
from 38.8% in 2009
US average: 30.9%
from 51.9% in 2009
US average: 46.8%
from 3.8 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 45.1%(45,403)
Hispanic / Latino 1.7%(1,748)
2010
White, non-Hispanic 40.3%(38,526)
Hispanic / Latino 3.1%(2,919)
No data for the years selected.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Hispanic origin
+ 3 more hispanic origin groups with data Ancestry
+ 37 more ancestry groups with data from 13.8% in 2000
US average: 27.9%
High school or higher
from 75.2% in 2000
US average: 84.9%
from 4.7% in 2000
US average: 10.2%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 14.9 min in 2000
US average: 25.2
from 77.8% in 2009
US average: 76.2%
from 10.4% in 2009
US average: 10.4%
from 1.6% in 2009
US average: 4.7%
from 5.8% in 2009
US average: 4.1%
from 3.4% in 2009
US average: 2.8%
from 0.5% in 2009
US average: 0.5%
from 10.1% in 2009
US average: 8.7%
Section 07
Work & employment from 15.5% in 2009
US average: 12.9%
from 29.6% in 2009
US average: 35.2%
Section 08
People & community from 2.7% in 2009
US average: 12.8%
from 15.4% in 2009
US average: 9.9%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married 43.5%(16,032)
Women 15+
Never married 37.6%(15,490)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).
from 13.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 48.5% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 10.7% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 18.4% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 22.5% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 5.0% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 64.3% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 40.5% 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) 44.8%(4,064)
Gulf War (1990s) 32.1%(2,916)
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.
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Drill deeper
Places similar to Portsmouth Head to head
Compare Portsmouth to nearby counties PORTSMOUTH VS
Norfolk
Income $66,109 +45%
Home value $289,900 +61%
Population 231,013 +139%
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PORTSMOUTH VS
Chesapeake
Income $95,373 +110%
Home value $378,400 +110%
Population 255,332 +164%
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PORTSMOUTH VS
Hampton
Income $69,621 +53%
Home value $245,700 +36%
Population 137,315 +42%
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PORTSMOUTH VS
Newport News
Income $69,634 +53%
Home value $260,600 +44%
Population 183,230 +89%
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Portsmouth, Virginia? Portsmouth, Virginia has about 95,535 residents according to the 2010 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Portsmouth, Virginia? The typical household in Portsmouth, Virginia earns about $45,488 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 $180,400, and the typical rent is about $880 a month.
How educated are people in Portsmouth, Virginia? About 18.7% 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 15.2% 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 8,372 residents, a change of about -8 percent over that period.
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