Portsmouth, VA Profile: Facts & Data

The City of Portsmouth had a population of 97,539 as of July 1, 2024. Portsmouth ranks in the upper quartile for Population Density when compared to the other cities, towns and Census Designated Places (CDPs) in Virginia. See peer rankings below.

The primary coordinate point for Portsmouth is located at latitude 36.8354 and longitude -76.2983 in Portsmouth (city) County. The formal boundaries for the City of Portsmouth encompass a land area of 33.8 sq. miles and a water area of 12.93 sq. miles. Portsmouth (city) County is in the Eastern time zone (GMT -5).

The City of Portsmouth has a C7 Census Class Code which indicates an incorporated place that is independent of any county. It also has a Functional Status Code of "A" which identifies an active government providing primary general-purpose functions.

Portsmouth, VA Data & Demographics (As of July 1, 2024)

POPULATION
Total Population	97,539 (100%)
Population in Households	94,793 (97.2%)
Population in Families	73,490 (75.3%)
Population in Group Quarters¹	2,746 ( 2.8%)
Population Density	2,929
Diversity Index²	62


INCOME
Median Household Income	$55,063
Average Household Income	$74,292
% of Income for Mortgage⁴	29%
Per Capita Income	$30,664
Wealth Index⁵	56
Socioeconomic Status Index⁶	Moderate (45.2)

HOUSING
Total HU (Housing Units)	43,587 (100%)
Owner Occupied HU	22,857 (52.4%)
Renter Occupied HU	17,066 (39.2%)
Vacant Housing Units	3,664 ( 8.4%)
Median Home Value	$256,012
Average Home Value	$285,294
Housing Affordability Index³	82

HOUSEHOLDS
Total Households	39,923
Average Household Size	2.37
Family Households	23,947
Average Family Size	3.00

NOTES

Group Quarters - a place where people live or stay in a group living arrangement. Includes college residents halls, nursing facilities, military barracks, and correctional facilities.
The Diversity Index is a scale of 0 to 100 that represents the likelihood that two persons, chosen at random from the same area, belong to different races or ethnic groups. If an area's entire population belongs to one race AND one ethnic group, then the area has zero diversity. An area's diversity index increases to 100 when the population is evenly divided into two or more race/ethnic groups.
The Housing Affordability Index base is 100 and represents a balance point where a resident with a median household income can normally qualify to purchase a median price home. Values above 100 indicate increased affordability, while values below 100 indicate decreased affordability.
The % of Income for Mortgage quantifies the percentage of median household income dedicated to mortgage payments on a home priced at the median value (assuming a 30-year mortgage and a 20% down payment).
The Wealth Index is based on a number of indicators of affluence including average household income and average net worth, but it also includes the value of material possessions and resources. It represents the wealth of the area relative to the national level. Values above or below 100 represent above-average wealth or below-average wealth compared to the national level.
The Socioeconomic Index ranges from zero (lowest relative status) to 100 (highest relative status). This measure quantifies disparities in social position of an area's inhabitants and is built from a broad range of demographic, housing, and socioeconomic inputs. More information on this measure can be found in Esri's SEI tutorial.

Portsmouth, VA - Peer Comparisons by Rank and Percentile

The table below compares Portsmouth to the other 688 incorporated cities, towns and CDPs in Virginia by rank and percentile using July 1, 2024 data. The location Ranked # 1 has the highest value. A location that ranks higher than 75% of its peers would be in the 75th percentile of the peer group.

GROWTH RATE / YEAR	2020-2024	2024-2029
Population	-0.09%	-0.13%
Households	0.22%	0.28%
Families		0.13%
Median Household Income		1.64%
Per Capita Income		3.06%
Owner Occupied HU		1.34%

Variable Description	Rank	Percentile
Total Population	# 11	99th
Population Density	# 106	85th
Median Household Income	# 438	36th
Housing Affordability Index	# 257	37th
Per Capita Income	# 459	33rd
Diversity Index	# 196	72nd

Portsmouth, VA Profile: Facts & Data

Portsmouth, Virginia - Basic Facts

Portsmouth, VA Data & Demographics (As of July 1, 2024)

POPULATION

INCOME

HOUSING

HOUSEHOLDS

GROWTH RATE / YEAR

Portsmouth, VA - Peer Comparisons by Rank and Percentile

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Portsmouth (city) County