City · Virginia
Suffolk, Virginia
Suffolk, city, in Suffolk city, Virginia. Suffolk had 104,699 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 10.9% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 94,324 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 98,796 (controlled total). GEOID 5176432.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
104,699
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 94,324 · ACS 2020-2024: 98,796
Median household income
$92,666
±$3,881 (90% margin)
Virginia: $93,170
Median home value
$347,400
±$5,812 (90% margin)
Virginia: $383,700
Median gross rent
$1,563
±$58 (90% margin)
Virginia: $1,579
Where is Suffolk and what county is it in?
Suffolk is a city in Suffolk city, Virginia. It covers 399.2 square miles of land, 236 residents per square mile in 2020.
Suffolk is in the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 18 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Suffolk covers the same area as Suffolk city: the city and the county are one area, so the county's figures are Suffolk'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 Suffolk, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 104,699 people lived in Suffolk on July 1, 2025, up 10.9% since 2020, faster than Virginia (+2.9%). The 2020 Census counted 94,324 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 98,796.
| Measure | Suffolk | Virginia | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 98,796 | 8,705,170 | +8,703 |
| Households | 37,908±357 | 3,365,732 | +4,134 |
| Average household size | 2.58±0.02 | 2.52 | −0.07 |
| Housing units | 40,499±51 | 3,684,756 | +3,730 |
Suffolk's population since 2000
From 63,677 in 2000 to 104,699 in 2025: up 64.4%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Suffolk 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 Suffolk?
The median resident of Suffolk is 38.7 years old; 23.6% are under 18 and 15.3% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 45.8%, then non-Hispanic Black residents at 41.6%. 4.4% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Suffolk | Virginia | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.7±0.3 | 39.0 | +0.7 |
| Under 18 years | 23.6% | 21.7% | – |
| 65 years and over | 15.3%±0.1 pts | 16.7% | – |
| Male | 48.6%±0.1 pts | 49.4% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 5.2% | 11.0% | +0.8 pts |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 45.8%±0.4 pts | 58.4% | −3.5 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 41.6%±0.6 pts | 18.3% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 1.8%±0.3 pts | 6.9% | no clear change |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.1%±0.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±0.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 4.6%±0.7 pts | 4.7% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.9%±0.4 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 4.4%±0.6 pts | 13.1% | +0.9 pts |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 6.3%±0.7 pts | 17.4% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 15.4%±0.9 pts | 9.4% | – |
| With a disability | 13.3%±0.8 pts | 12.5% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 6.4%±0.8 pts | 6.9% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 91.2%±0.9 pts | 91.6% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 33.3%±1.4 pts | 42.2% | +3.8 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 13.1%±0.8 pts | 18.5% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 88.2%±1.2 pts | 86.9% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 2.7%±0.6 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 Suffolk earn?
Half of Suffolk's 37,908 households earn less than $92,666 a year (±$3,881), against $92,666 in Suffolk city and $93,170 in Virginia. In 2015-2019 it was $92,159 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 9.4% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Suffolk | Virginia | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $92,666±$3,881 | $93,170 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $116,720±$4,556 | $128,260 | – |
| Per capita income | $45,819±$1,874 | $50,666 | +$2,819 |
| People below the poverty line | 9.4%±1.2 pts | 9.9% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 12.7%±3.1 pts | 12.3% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 10.0%±1.1 pts | 9.1% | – |
| Households with a computer | 95.4%±0.8 pts | 95.4% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 90.2%±1.2 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 Suffolk?
Owners occupy 70.7% of Suffolk's occupied homes and renters 29.3%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $347,400 by its owner (±$5,812). The median renter pays $1,563 a month including utilities, and 47.6% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Suffolk | Virginia | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $347,400±$5,812 | $383,700 | +$34,311 |
| Median gross rent | $1,563±$58 | $1,579 | +$85 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 47.6%±4.8 pts | 39.4% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $2,147±$42 | $2,127 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 70.7%±1.5 pts | 67.3% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 29.3%±1.5 pts | 32.7% | – |
| Housing units | 40,499±51 | 3,684,756 | +3,730 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 1.0%±0.5 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 3.4%±1.4 pts | 4.8% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 72.2%±1.3 pts | 61.3% | – |
| Mobile homes | 2.3%±0.5 pts | 4.3% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 4.4%±0.8 pts | 1.7% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 17.0%±1.4 pts | 9.9% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 5.2%±0.6 pts | 7.0% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 5.0%±0.8 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 Suffolk building?
Builders took permits for 589 new housing units in Suffolk in 2025 (514 in single-family houses), 5.6 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 Suffolk work and get to work?
79.0% of Suffolk's workers drive alone and 10.7% work from home. The average trip to work takes 30.2 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 5.0%.
| Measure | Suffolk | Virginia | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 65.3%±1.3 pts | 65.4% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 5.0%±0.8 pts | 4.3% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 79.0%±1.4 pts | 67.6% | – |
| Carpooled | 7.7%±1.0 pts | 8.0% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.2%±0.2 pts | 2.3% | – |
| Walked | 0.9%±0.3 pts | 2.1% | – |
| Worked from home | 10.7%±1.2 pts | 18.3% | +7.0 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 30.2 min±0.6 | 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 Suffolk?
36 census tracts lie mostly in Suffolk (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $38,861 (Tract 653.02) to $166,759 (Tract 753.01).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 751.06Suffolk city | 5,575 | $128,681 |
| Tract 754.02Suffolk city | 5,315 | $116,938 |
| Tract 755.02Suffolk city | 4,697 | $116,474 |
| Tract 752.03Suffolk city | 4,665 | $148,558 |
| Tract 754.06Suffolk city | 4,099 | $102,639 |
| Tract 751.03Suffolk city | 3,614 | $86,413 |
| Tract 757.02Suffolk city | 3,498 | $96,420 |
| Tract 655Suffolk city | 3,470 | $44,589 |
| Tract 752.05Suffolk city | 3,468 | $58,491 |
| Tract 756.01Suffolk city | 3,397 | $65,381 |
| Tract 751.04Suffolk city | 3,390 | $90,982 |
| Tract 755.03Suffolk city | 3,380 | $98,899 |
Every census tract in Suffolk: the tract table of Suffolk 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 Suffolk) · Census block assignment files
How does Suffolk compare with other places in Virginia?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Suffolk is the 321st-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 8th-most populous of 227 in Virginia.
Suffolk ranks 171st 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 | 8th | 227 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 5th | 139 |
| Residents per square mile | 352nd | 374 |
| Median household income | 171st | 365 |
| Per capita income | 149th | 374 |
| Median home value | 178th | 359 |
| Median gross rent | 157th | 341 |
| Poverty rate | 140th | 263 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 194th | 359 |
| Median age | 197th | 372 |
| Owner-occupied share | 166th | 368 |
| Work from home | 223rd | 286 |
| Travel time to work | 111th | 372 |
Suffolk's figures with every place in Virginia (CSV)
Every place in Virginia, sortable · Compare Suffolk 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 Suffolk?
3 of the 57 figures for Suffolk on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are 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 Suffolk 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 Suffolk.