Living in Portsmouth, VA
Suburb in Virginia
Portsmouth is a suburb in Virginia, home to about 97,000 people, with 1.5 million living within 31 mi. Day to day, there is some transit, though many people drive. Life moves at a moderate pace, and homes are a mix of apartments and houses.
Is Portsmouth a good place to live? Pros and cons
👍 Pros
- Easy flying: ORF is 9 mi away
- Strong healthcare: 7 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi
- Low natural disaster risk: 4 federally declared disasters since 2000
- Affordable housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $268k and rents for $2,380 a month
👎 Cons
- Higher crime: violent crime is 2.5× the US rate (FBI 2019)
- Fewer graduates: 23% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher
- Smaller job market: about 1.5 million people live within 31 mi
- Higher taxes: about $2,198 state income tax per resident, 1.07% property tax
Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Portsmouth ranks against your own priorities.
Key facts
Living in Portsmouth: common questions
What is the cost of living in Portsmouth?
A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $268k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $2,380 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are close to the US average (index 98, where the US is 100).
What are taxes like in Portsmouth?
Virginia collects about $2,198 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 1.07% of their home's value in property tax each year.
Is Portsmouth safe?
Violent crime is well above the national rate (2.5× in FBI 2019 data).
What is the weather like in Portsmouth?
Portsmouth has cool winters: winter days average around 51°F and summer days around 86°F, with roughly 3″ of snow a year.
Does Portsmouth get natural disasters?
Natural disaster risk is low, mainly from flooding and hurricanes: 4 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.36 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.
What is the nearest major airport to Portsmouth?
The nearest major airport is ORF, about 9 mi away.
How Portsmouth scores
Each bar compares Portsmouth with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).
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Is Portsmouth right for you?
Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.