City profile · Virginia · Census ACS 2023

Portsmouth, VA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Portsmouth - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

97,299
Residents
$58,972
Median income
$229,400
Median home
$1,713
Median rent (state)

Portsmouth - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Portsmouth lands in the 34th percentile for household income and the 5th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

34th
percentile, household income
51st
percentile, home value
69th
percentile, median rent
5th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Portsmouth, VA

Virginia's Portsmouth is a small city, with 97,299 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. The typical household in Portsmouth brings in $58,972 a year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 14.7%. Typical homes in Portsmouth are valued around $229,400, and the median resident age is 35.8 years. Educational attainment runs 23.2% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 54.0% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 300 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Building Boom), up 223% from five years earlier. Portsmouth's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 4613.2 incidents per 100,000 residents, above the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Virginia tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: the state registers 101.1 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Near Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,713 monthly. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Virginia's average monthly utility costs around $235 (state average). On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 54.0 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Low).

Population

97,299 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Virginia

Median Household Income

$58,972 /yr

Poverty 14.7%

Cost of Living Index (state)

101.1 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Virginia average

How does Portsmouth compare to other US cities?

Here's how Portsmouth stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 34% higher than other cities
Home value 51% pricier than other cities
Median rent 69% pricier than other cities
Safety 5% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

Zoom in to just Virginia and the picture shifts: Portsmouth ranks #114 of 117 Virginia cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Portsmouth's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Virginia, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

34thIncome percentile
5thSafety percentile

34th percentile nationally for median household income · 5th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Portsmouth's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Portsmouth's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 26 Avg. percentile National median
Portsmouth's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Portsmouth's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$229,400 49th percentile more affordable than 49% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). This entry sits in this band. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Portsmouth $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Portsmouth, VA Portsmouth, VA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Portsmouth, VA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Portsmouth, VA median $58,972/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Portsmouth, VA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Portsmouth, VA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 23.2%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 14.7%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 54.0%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
97,299
Median Income
$58,972
Median Home Value
$229,400
Median Age
35.8
Poverty Rate
14.7%
Labor force participation
54.0%
Bachelor's Degree+
23.2%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
4613.2
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
752.4
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
3860.8
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
22
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
96,500 residents97,000 residents97,500 residents98,000 residents98,500 residents 202020212022202320242025 97,991 residents 96,777 residents ▼ -1.2%
Portsmouth's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
300
housing units authorized
Single-Family
188
detached homes
Multifamily
112
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
3.1
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 93
2020 280
2021 196
2022 106
2023 73
2024 300

Permit volume increased 223% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
73.1%
Carpool
11.9%
Public Transit
1.3%
Walk
3.1%
Work from Home
7.9%
Other
2.7%

Based on 44,729 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Virginia - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$115
avg/month
Natural Gas
$70
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$50
avg/month
Total Utilities
$235
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Virginia state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Virginia state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Portsmouth sits in

Cost of Living Index
101.1
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,713/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
54.0 / 100
Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Virginia

Suffolk
96,638 people
Roanoke
98,677 people
Lynchburg
79,255 people
Dale
72,793 people
Centreville
71,885 people
Reston
63,542 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Portsmouth's 97,299 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Fayetteville, AR
97,227 people
Beaverton, OR
97,502 people
Orem, UT
97,048 people
Conroe, TX
96,976 people
Yakima, WA
96,810 people
Sunrise, FL
96,633 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Portsmouth's $58,972 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Bridgeport, NY
$58,971 median income
Waynetown, IN
$58,977 median income
Easton, MO
$58,967 median income
Pleasanton, NM
$58,967 median income
Frewsburg, NY
$58,981 median income
East Point, GA
$58,983 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Portsmouth, VA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Portsmouth, VA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 36.9% 51.7% 7.6% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 5.1% White 36.9% Black or African American 51.7% Asian 1.5% American Indian 0.3% Native Hawaiian 0.1% Some other race 2.0% Two or more races 7.6% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Portsmouth compares to nearby Virginia cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Portsmouth (this city) 97,299 $58,972
Suffolk 96,638 $90,089
Roanoke 98,677 $52,671
Lynchburg 79,255 $59,808
Census ACS 5-year FIPS VA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Portsmouth, VA?

What is the population of Portsmouth, VA? +

The population of Portsmouth, VA stands at 97,299 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Portsmouth, VA? +

In Portsmouth, the typical household earns $58,972 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Portsmouth? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Portsmouth; the closest available measure is the Virginia state average, a cost of living index of 101.1 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Near Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Virginia vary by metro area.

Is Portsmouth, VA safe? +

Portsmouth has a total crime rate of 4613.2 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Portsmouth, VA? +

Portsmouth's median home value sits at $229,400, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.