Portsmouth, Virginia
Among the top 3% of US places for getting around.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade D, better than 23% of US places
WeatherWeather: grade B+, better than 70% of US places
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade D, better than 22% of US places
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade A+, better than 97% of US places
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade D, better than 24% of US places
- top 1% for natural disaster risk
- top 3% for airport distance
- bottom 1% for property crime
Portsmouth is a mid-size city in Virginia with about 97,000 residents. It grades A+ for getting around and D for safety & wellbeing. Standout strengths include natural disaster risk, airport distance, and walkability. It rates lower on violent crime and property crime.
Official websiteportsmouthva.gov (opens in new tab)
Climate
Hot, humid summers · Cool winters · Moderate rain · Light snow
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69%59%clearovercast
Precipitation 5.4 in3.3 in
muggy 86%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$57k41st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$52kbetter than 26% of US places
Home Value$213k64th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 26% of US places
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 32% of US places
Property Tax Rate1.11%better than 43% of US places
Income Tax5.80%better than 36% of US places
Sales Tax5.77%better than 90% of US places
Estimated total tax burden11.86%better than 30% of US places
Unemployment6.6%better than 27% of US places
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)42°F74th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)81°F77th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation50.0 in78th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall3.0 inbetter than 72% of US places
Sunny Days242 daysbetter than 61% of US places
Summer Humidity70°Fbetter than 17% of US places
Comfortable Days89 daysbetter than 68% of US places
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk12.1better than 99% of US places
Air Quality44 AQIbetter than 60% of US places
School Quality45.4better than 26% of US places
Violent Crime2538/100kbetter than 4% of US places
Property Crime4892/100kbetter than 1% of US places
Community
Population97,38499th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age35.625th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.5992nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9337th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+425th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)36.4%12th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)51.0%96th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)5.0%57th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)1.4%75th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)6.2%78th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time23 minbetter than 68% of US places
Walkability12.1/20better than 92% of US places
Airport Distance9 mibetter than 97% of US places
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access86.2%better than 50% of US places
Amenities Nearby45.59better than 37% of US places
Park & Nature AccessLimitedbetter than 22% of US places
Similar places
Frequently asked questions
- Is Portsmouth an affordable place to live?
- Portsmouth is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $52k, better than 26% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Portsmouth?
- The median home value in Portsmouth is $213k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Portsmouth?
- Median household income in Portsmouth is $57k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Portsmouth?
- Median gross rent in Portsmouth is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Portsmouth safe?
- Portsmouth is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 2538/100k (better than 4%). Property crime is 4892/100k.
- What is the weather like in Portsmouth?
- Portsmouth averages 81°F in July and 42°F in January, with 50.0 in of annual precipitation and about 242 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Portsmouth?
- Public-school quality in Portsmouth is below average, scoring better than 26% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Portsmouth?
- The average one-way commute in Portsmouth is 23 min.
Places near Portsmouth
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Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)