Newport News vs Portsmouth
Newport News, Virginia versus Portsmouth, Virginia: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Newport News and Portsmouth score about the same overall (47 vs 47 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Newport News | Portsmouth |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $63k | $57k |
| Cost of Living | $53k | $52k |
| Home Value | $233k | $213k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.06% | 1.11% |
| Income Tax | 5.80% | 5.80% |
| Sales Tax | 5.77% | 5.77% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 11.59% | 11.86% |
| Unemployment | 5.6% | 6.6% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 40°F | 42°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 79°F | 81°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 45.1 in | 50.0 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.7 in | 3.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 228 days | 242 days |
| Summer Humidity | 70°F | 70°F |
| Comfortable Days | 83 days | 89 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 17.5 | 12.1 |
| Air Quality | 46 AQI | 44 AQI |
| School Quality | 57.5 | 45.4 |
| Violent Crime | 2398/100k | 2538/100k |
| Property Crime | 2291/100k | 4892/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 185,118 | 97,384 |
| Median Age | 34.1 | 35.6 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.63 | 0.59 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.95 | 0.93 |
| Political Leaning | D+34 | D+42 |
| White (%) | 40.8% | 36.4% |
| Black (%) | 40.6% | 51.0% |
| Hispanic (%) | 9.9% | 5.0% |
| Asian (%) | 3.4% | 1.4% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 5.3% | 6.2% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 23 min | 23 min |
| Walkability | 10.9/20 | 12.1/20 |
| Airport Distance | 22 mi | 9 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 85.2% | 86.2% |
| Amenities Nearby | 14.42 | 45.59 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | Limited |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Newport News or Portsmouth more affordable?
- Portsmouth has the lower cost of living: its index is $52k, compared with Newport News's $53k and Portsmouth's $52k. Median rent is $1k in Newport News versus $1k in Portsmouth.
- Is Newport News or Portsmouth safer?
- Newport News has the lower violent crime rate. Newport News reports 2398/100k and Portsmouth reports 2538/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Newport News or Portsmouth?
- The median home value is $233k in Newport News and $213k in Portsmouth, so homes are more affordable in Portsmouth.