Portsmouth, VA

Census Place

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2020 Population

94,961

0.143% 1-year decline

US Senator

Mark Warner

Democratic Party

US Senator

Tim Kaine

Democratic Party

2020 Median Age

35.5

0.567% 1-year increase

2020 Poverty Rate

15.7%

6.24% 1-year decrease

2020 Median Household Income

$53,213

1.99% 1-year growth

2020 Median Property Value

$174,200

1.93% 1-year growth

About

In 2020, Portsmouth, VA had a population of 95k people with a median age of 35.5 and a median household income of $53,213. Between 2019 and 2020 the population of Portsmouth, VA declined from 95,097 to 94,961, a −0.143% decrease and its median household income grew from $52,175 to $53,213, a 1.99% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Portsmouth, VA are Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (52%), White (Non-Hispanic) (37%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (3.76%), White (Hispanic) (1.88%), and Other (Hispanic) (1.6%).

None of the households in Portsmouth, VA reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

98.5% of the residents in Portsmouth, VA are U.S. citizens.

In 2020, the median property value in Portsmouth, VA was $174,200, and the homeownership rate was 55.3%.

Most people in Portsmouth, VA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 23.2 minutes. The average car ownership in Portsmouth, VA was 2 cars per household.

Population & Diversity

Portsmouth, VA is home to a population of 95k people, from which 98.5% are citizens. As of 2020, 3.38% of Portsmouth, VA residents were born outside of the country (3.21k people).

In 2020, there were 1.4 times more Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) residents (49.3k people) in Portsmouth, VA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 35.2k White (Non-Hispanic) and 3.57k Two+ (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Citizenship

98.5%

2020 Citizenship

98.7%

2019 Citizenship

As of 2020, 98.5% of Portsmouth, VA residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2019, the percentage of US citizens in Portsmouth, VA was 98.7%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Portsmouth, VA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Portsmouth, VA

Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
49.3k ± 738
White (Non-Hispanic)
35.2k ± 219
Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
3.57k ± 691

4.66%

Hispanic Population

4.43k people

4.66% of the people in Portsmouth, VA are hispanic (4.43k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Portsmouth, VA as a share of the total population.

Foreign-Born Population

3.38%

2020 Foreign-Born Population

3.21k people

2.92%

2019 Foreign-Born Population

2.77k people

As of 2020, 3.38% of Portsmouth, VA residents (3.21k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.5%. In 2019, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Portsmouth, VA was 2.92%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Portsmouth, VA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Gulf War (2001-)
3,771 ± 490
Vietnam
2,355 ± 281
Gulf War (1990s)
1,506 ± 323

Portsmouth, VA has a large population of military personnel who served in Gulf War (2001-), 1.6 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Portsmouth, VA employs 41.1k people. The largest industries in Portsmouth, VA are Health Care & Social Assistance (6,203 people), Retail Trade (5,109 people), and Manufacturing (4,726 people), and the highest paying industries are Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($54,823), Public Administration ($53,264), and Manufacturing ($50,036).

Employment

Occupations

41.1k

2020 Value

± 1,566

−0.814%

1 Year decline

± 5.31%

From 2019 to 2020, employment in Portsmouth, VA declined at a rate of −0.814%, from 41.4k employees to 41.1k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Portsmouth, VA, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (4,921 people), Sales & Related Occupations (3,927 people), and Construction & Extraction Occupations (3,034 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Portsmouth, VA.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Virginia.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Virginia (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

41.1k

2020 Value

± 1,566

−0.814%

1 Year decline

± 5.31%

From 2019 to 2020, employment in Portsmouth, VA declined at a rate of −0.814%, from 41.4k employees to 41.1k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Portsmouth, VA, are Health Care & Social Assistance (6,203 people), Retail Trade (5,109 people), and Manufacturing (4,726 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Portsmouth, VA, though some of these residents may live in Portsmouth, VA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$41,213

Median earning men ± $1,513

$29,259

Median earning women ± $1,958

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2020 are Public Administration ($61,514), Manufacturing ($58,022), and Information ($52,375).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2020 are Construction ($45,313), Public Administration ($45,179), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($40,316).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Virginia.

Y-Axis

8.45%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between May 2020 and May 2021

As of May 2021, there are 145M people employed in Virginia. This represents a 8.45% increase in employment when compared to May 2020.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Virginia.

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Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from Virginia to other states, or from other states to Virginia.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

Mixed freight
$37.3B
Electronics
$28.7B
Machinery
$25.6B

In 2020, the top outbound Virginia product (by dollars) was Mixed freight with $37.3B, followed by Electronics ($28.7B) and Machinery ($25.6B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound Virginia products.

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for Virginia.

$325B

2020 Value in Virginia

$612B

Projected 2050 Value in Virginia

88.1% growth

In 2020, total outbound Virginia trade was $325B. This is expected to increase 88.1% to $612B by 2050.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound Virginia trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from Virginia to other states, or from other states to Virginia.

Most Common Trade Partners

In 2020, the top outbound Virginia domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was North Carolina with $25B, followed by Maryland with $18.9B and Pennsylvania and $13.2B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that Virginia shares with each state (excluding itself).

Civics

Mark Warner and Tim Kaine are the senators currently representing the state of Virginia. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Virginia is currently represented by 11 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Senators Elections

US Senators from Virginia

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Virginia.

Mark Warner

Senator from Virginia

Assumed office on January 3, 2009

Tim Kaine

Senator from Virginia

Assumed office on January 3, 2013

Mark Warner and Tim Kaine are the senators currently representing Virginia.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Virginia over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representatives Elections

US Representatives from Virginia

Virginia is currently represented by 11 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for Virginia have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

Completions

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Virginia.

Measure

In 2020, 0.823% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.842% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Virginia.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2020 were High School or Equivalent (1.66M), Some college (1.42M), and Bachelors Degree (1.41M).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Portsmouth, VA was $174,200 in 2020, which is 0.758 times smaller than the national average of $229,800. Between 2019 and 2020 the median property value increased from $170,900 to $174,200, a 1.93% increase. The homeownership rate in Portsmouth, VA is 55.3%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.4%.

People in Portsmouth, VA have an average commute time of 23.2 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Portsmouth, VA is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Portsmouth, VA is $53,213. In 2020, the place with the highest median household income in Portsmouth, VA was Census Tract 2131.04 with a value of $98,137, followed by Census Tract 2130.01 and Census Tract 2130.02, with respective values of $91,563 and $81,250.

Property

$174,200

Median Property Value 2020

±$3,629

$20,257

Median Property Taxes

±$887

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Portsmouth, VA the largest share of households pay taxes in the $2k - $3k range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Portsmouth, VA compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

55.3%

Homeownership

2020

64.6%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2020

In 2020, 55.3% of the housing units in Portsmouth, VA were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 55%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Portsmouth, VA compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 2131.04
Census Tract 2130.01
Census Tract 2130.02

In 2020, the place with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Portsmouth, VA was Census Tract 2131.04 with a value of $98,137, followed by Census Tract 2130.01 and Census Tract 2130.02, with respective values of $91,563 and $81,250.

The following map shows all of the places in Portsmouth, VA colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$53,213

Median Household Income

± $1,956

36.7k

Number of Households

± 1,338

In 2020, the median household income of the 36.7k households in Portsmouth, VA grew to $53,213 from the previous year's value of $52,175.

The following chart displays the households in Portsmouth, VA distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Portsmouth, VA is from Virginia.

0.478

2020 Wage GINI in Virginia

0.479

2019 Wage GINI in Virginia

In 2020, the income inequality in Virginia was 0.478 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.181% decline from 2019 to 2020, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Virginia was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Virginia in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Virginia across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2018

Drove Alone (81.5%)
Carpooled (8.22%)
Walked (3.84%)

In 2018, 81.5% of workers in Portsmouth, VA drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (8.22%) and those who walked to work (3.84%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

23.2 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Portsmouth, VA have a shorter commute time (23.2 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.9 minutes). Additionally, 1.1% of the workforce in Portsmouth, VA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Portsmouth, VA compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Portsmouth, VA distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Portsmouth, VA have 2 cars.

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

15.7% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Portsmouth, VA (14.3k out of 90.9k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.8%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Males 6 - 11 and then Females 55 - 64.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Portsmouth, VA is Black, followed by White and Hispanic.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

90.6% of the population of Portsmouth, VA has health coverage, with 38.6% on employee plans, 18.4% on Medicaid, 10.8% on Medicare, 15% on non-group plans, and 7.74% on military or VA plans.

Per capita personal health care spending in Virginia was $7,556 in 2014. This is a 3.42% increase from the previous year ($7,306).

Primary care physicians in Portsmouth city, VA see 1856 patients per year on average, which represents a 1.85% decrease from the previous year (1891 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 828 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 358 patients per year.

COVID-19

Daily New Cases by Date

Showing data at the state level for Virginia. Hospitalization data for some states may be delayed or not reported.

Y-Axis

This chart shows the number of COVID-19 daily new cases by date in Virginia, as a 7-day rolling average, compared with the four states with the most similar number of confirmed cases.

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Patient to Clinician Ratios

Data is only available at the country level. Showing data for Portsmouth city, VA.

1,856 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Portsmouth city, VA

Primary care physicians in Portsmouth city, VA see an average of 1,856 patients per year. This represents a 1.85% decrease from the previous year (1,891 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Portsmouth city, VA in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Community Mobility

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Virginia.

This chart presents movement trends over time in the state of Virginia across different categories of places such as retail and recreation, groceries and pharmacies, parks, transit stations, workplaces, and residential.

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Coverage

Health Care Diversity

In 2020, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 25.7% under 18 years, 22.2% between 18 and 34 years, 36.8% between 35 and 64 years, and 15.4% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 45.7% were men and 54.3% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

9.4%

Uninsured

38.6%

Employer Coverage

18.4%

Medicaid

10.8%

Medicare

15%

Non-Group

7.74%

Military or VA

Between 2019 and 2020, the percent of uninsured citizens in Portsmouth, VA declined by 6.29% from 10% to 9.4%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Portsmouth, VA changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.