Portsmouth city, Virginia
Located in Virginia, Portsmouth city has a population of 97,190 residents and a median age of 35.9 years, making it the #635 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 17.3%. The median home value is $246,900, and the median household income is $60,491, which is 20% below the national median.
Demographics
Portsmouth city has a population of 97,190, making it the #635 most populous county in the US. The median age is 35.9 years, which is 7.7% below the national median.
Population Trend
Rankings →Year-over-Year Population Growth
Age & Sex Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Nativity
Geographic Mobility (Past Year)
Economy
The median household income in Portsmouth city is $60,491, ranking #2,042 out of 3,222 counties — 19.5% below the national median. The poverty rate is 17.3% and unemployment stands at 6.0%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Portsmouth city is $246,900 (-12.4% vs national). Renters pay a median of $1,300/mo and the homeownership rate is 57.9%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Portsmouth city, 24.3% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 27.8% below the national average, ranking #1,322 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Portsmouth city is 70.5 years. 21.1% of adults report poor or fair health and 7.0% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
17.2% of adults in Portsmouth city smoke , 45.2% are obese , and 17.3% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 75.9 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The homicide rate in Portsmouth city is 23.5 per 100,000 and the suicide rate is 15.8 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 16.3 per 100,000.
Homicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
25.0% of children in Portsmouth city live in poverty and the infant mortality rate is 9.9 per 1,000 live births. The teen birth rate is 26.9 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Infant Mortality Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Portsmouth city is 62.3%. The mean commute time is 26.0 min, which is 6.0% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Portsmouth city voted Democratic with a margin of 38.6%. The vote was 68.6% Dem / 30% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 2.2 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Portsmouth city, Virginia
Portsmouth city, Virginia has a total population of 97,190, making it the 635th most populous county in the United States. The median age in Portsmouth city is 35.9 years, which is 7.7% below the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Portsmouth city is $60,491, which ranks #2,042 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 19.5% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 17.3%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 6.0%.
The median home value in Portsmouth city is $246,900, 12.4% below the national median. Renters in Portsmouth city pay a median gross rent of $1,300 per month. The homeownership rate is 57.9%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Portsmouth city, 24.3% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 27.8% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 92.6% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 26.0 min.
Portsmouth city is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is Black (non-Hispanic) at 50.2% of the population, followed by White (non-Hispanic) (35.4%) and Two or More Races (6.5%).
All data for Portsmouth city, Virginia comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. These figures are estimates based on survey sampling and are subject to margin of error. For the most detailed and up-to-date data, visit the Census Bureau's official data portal.