City · Virginia
Newport News, Virginia
Newport News, city, in Newport News city, Virginia. Newport News had 183,230 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 1.6% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 186,247 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 184,216 (controlled total). GEOID 5156000.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
183,230
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 186,247 · ACS 2020-2024: 184,216
Median household income
$69,634
±$2,426 (90% margin)
Virginia: $93,170
Median home value
$260,600
±$5,844 (90% margin)
Virginia: $383,700
Median gross rent
$1,339
±$25 (90% margin)
Virginia: $1,579
Where is Newport News and what county is it in?
Newport News is a city in Newport News city, Virginia. It covers 69.0 square miles of land, 2,699 residents per square mile in 2020.
Newport News is in the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 18 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Newport News covers the same area as Newport News city: the city and the county are one area, so the county's figures are Newport News's; the county page lists its census tracts.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Newport News, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 183,230 people lived in Newport News on July 1, 2025, down 1.6% since 2020, while Virginia grew 2.9%. The 2020 Census counted 186,247 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 184,216.
| Measure | Newport News | Virginia | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 184,216 | 8,705,170 | +4,543 |
| Households | 76,112 ±550 | 3,365,732 | +6,277 |
| Average household size | 2.33 ±0.02 | 2.52 | −0.11 |
| Housing units | 82,052 ±231 | 3,684,756 | +4,293 |
Newport News's population since 2000
From 180,150 in 2000 to 183,230 in 2025: up 1.7%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Newport News as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Newport News?
The median resident of Newport News is 34.4 years old; 23.2% are under 18 and 14.1% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic Black residents at 40.6%, then non-Hispanic white residents at 39.2%. 7.7% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Newport News | Virginia | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.4 ±0.1 | 39.0 | +0.9 |
| Under 18 years | 23.2% | 21.7% | – |
| 65 years and over | 14.1% ±0.1 pts | 16.7% | – |
| Male | 48.5% ±0.1 pts | 49.4% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 10.8% | 11.0% | +1.8 pts |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 39.2% ±0.3 pts | 58.4% | −3.7 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 40.6% ±0.5 pts | 18.3% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 3.3% ±0.2 pts | 6.9% | no clear change |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 5.0% ±0.5 pts | 4.7% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.8% ±0.3 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 7.7% ±0.5 pts | 13.1% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 10.7% ±0.7 pts | 17.4% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 13.0% ±0.8 pts | 9.4% | – |
| With a disability | 15.5% ±0.9 pts | 12.5% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 8.3% ±0.8 pts | 6.9% | −2.9 pts |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 92.0% ±0.7 pts | 91.6% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 30.6% ±1.5 pts | 42.2% | +4.3 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 11.5% ±0.7 pts | 18.5% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 85.8% ±0.9 pts | 86.9% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 3.2% ±0.4 pts | 3.1% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Newport News earn?
Half of Newport News's 76,112 households earn less than $69,634 a year (±$2,426), against $69,634 in Newport News city and $93,170 in Virginia. In 2015-2019 the median was $65,491 in 2024 dollars, so it rose by $4,143 after inflation. 14.5% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Newport News | Virginia | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $69,634 ±$2,426 | $93,170 | +$4,143 |
| Mean household income | $90,039 ±$4,810 | $128,260 | – |
| Per capita income | $38,773 ±$2,845 | $50,666 | +$3,952 |
| People below the poverty line | 14.5% ±1.1 pts | 9.9% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 20.3% ±2.9 pts | 12.3% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 15.5% ±1.2 pts | 9.1% | – |
| Households with a computer | 95.6% ±0.6 pts | 95.4% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 91.6% ±0.8 pts | 91.0% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Newport News?
Owners occupy 48.2% of Newport News's occupied homes and renters 51.8%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $260,600 by its owner (±$5,844). The median renter pays $1,339 a month including utilities, and 41.1% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Newport News | Virginia | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $260,600 ±$5,844 | $383,700 | +$21,845 |
| Median gross rent | $1,339 ±$25 | $1,579 | +$38 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 41.1% ±2.4 pts | 39.4% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,730 ±$38 | $2,127 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 48.2% ±1.4 pts | 67.3% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 51.8% ±1.4 pts | 32.7% | – |
| Housing units | 82,052 ±231 | 3,684,756 | +4,293 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.8% ±0.4 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 5.6% ±0.9 pts | 4.8% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 50.2% ±1.3 pts | 61.3% | – |
| Mobile homes | 2.4% ±0.4 pts | 4.3% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.4% ±0.1 pts | 1.7% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 7.3% ±0.8 pts | 9.9% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 4.9% ±0.6 pts | 7.0% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 9.8% ±0.9 pts | 6.1% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Newport News building?
Builders took permits for 125 new housing units in Newport News in 2025 (50 in single-family houses; the permit office reported 11 of 12 months), 0.7 per 1,000 residents against 3.7 across Virginia.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Newport News work and get to work?
74.0% of Newport News's workers drive alone and 10.2% work from home. The average trip to work takes 23.1 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 5.8%.
| Measure | Newport News | Virginia | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 67.1% ±0.9 pts | 65.4% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 5.8% ±0.6 pts | 4.3% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 74.0% ±1.6 pts | 67.6% | – |
| Carpooled | 8.7% ±0.9 pts | 8.0% | – |
| Public transportation | 1.6% ±0.5 pts | 2.3% | – |
| Walked | 3.6% ±0.6 pts | 2.1% | – |
| Worked from home | 10.2% ±1.1 pts | 18.3% | +6.9 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 23.1 min ±0.7 | 27.3 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Newport News?
47 census tracts lie mostly in Newport News (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $26,250 (Tract 306) to $150,743 (Tract 318).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 315Newport News city | 6,034 | $71,250 |
| Tract 322.11Newport News city | 5,994 | $94,200 |
| Tract 303Newport News city | 5,794 | $32,146 |
| Tract 314Newport News city | 5,788 | $83,688 |
| Tract 321.23Newport News city | 5,674 | $62,188 |
| Tract 320.02Newport News city | 5,516 | $107,000 |
| Tract 321.30Newport News city | 5,411 | $108,730 |
| Tract 316.02Newport News city | 5,290 | $75,250 |
| Tract 321.32Newport News city | 5,012 | $75,069 |
| Tract 321.31Newport News city | 4,957 | $111,635 |
| Tract 320.06Newport News city | 4,924 | $47,148 |
| Tract 321.26Newport News city | 4,907 | $44,375 |
Every census tract in Newport News: the tract table of Newport News city
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Newport News) · Census block assignment files
How does Newport News compare with other places in Virginia?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Newport News is the 146th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 5th-most populous of 227 in Virginia.
Newport News ranks 235th of 365 places in Virginia with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 5th | 227 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 101st | 139 |
| Residents per square mile | 108th | 374 |
| Median household income | 235th | 365 |
| Per capita income | 210th | 374 |
| Median home value | 237th | 359 |
| Median gross rent | 179th | 341 |
| Poverty rate | 90th | 263 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 215th | 359 |
| Median age | 314th | 372 |
| Owner-occupied share | 322nd | 368 |
| Work from home | 230th | 286 |
| Travel time to work | 262nd | 372 |
Newport News's figures with every place in Virginia (CSV)
Every place in Virginia, sortable · Compare Newport News with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Newport News?
1 of the 57 figures for Newport News on this page carries a coefficient of variation over 40% and is marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Newport News are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Newport News.