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Norfolk

Portsmouth

  • C+
    Overall Grade
  • Town in Virginia
  • 134 reviews
    C+
    Overall Niche Grade
    How are grades calculated?
    1. Public Schools
      C
    2. Crime & Safety
      C-
    3. Housing
      C
    4. Nightlife
      B+
    5. Good for Families
      C+
    6. Diversity
      A
    7. Jobs
      C-
    8. Weather
      B+
    9. Cost of Living
      B-
    10. Health & Fitness
      C+
    11. Outdoor Activities
      A-
    12. Commute
      A-
    View Full Report Card
    Portsmouth is a town in Virginia with a population of 95,536. Portsmouth is in Portsmouth City County. Living in Portsmouth offers residents a dense suburban feel and most residents own their homes. In Portsmouth there are a lot of parks. Many families and young professionals live in Portsmouth.
    About Portsmouth...
    Population
    95,536

    Real Estate

    Median Home Value
    $169,400
    National
    $184,700
    Median Rent
    $988
    National
    $949
    Area Feel
    Dense Suburban
    Rent vs. Own
    • Rent
      46%
    • Own
      54%
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    Portsmouth Rankings

    Niche ranks thousands of places to live based on key statistics from the U.S. Census and and expert insights.

    Crime & Safety

    Crime & Safety
    C-
    Based on violent and property crime rates.
    Violent Crimes
    • Calculated annually per 100,000 residents
    National
    • Assault
      511.6
      282.7
    • Murder
      21.2
      6.1
    • Rape
      46.7
      40.7
    • Robbery
      215.5
      135.5
    Property Crimes
    • Calculated annually per 100,000 residents
    National
    • Burglary
      1,016.8
      500.1
    • Theft
      3,875.1
      2,042.8
    • Motor Vehicle Theft
      390.6
      284

    Residents

    Diversity
    A
    Based on ethnic and economic diversity.
    Age
    • <10 years
      14%
    • 10-17 years
      10%
    • 18-24 years
      10%
    • 25-34 years
      16%
    • 35-44 years
      12%
    • 45-54 years
      12%
    • 55-64 years
      12%
    • 65+ years
      14%
    Education Levels
    National
    • Master's degree or higher
      8%
      12%
    • Bachelor's degree
      14%
      19%
    • Some college or associate's degree
      35%
      29%
    • High school diploma or equivalent
      29%
      28%
    • Less than high school diploma
      14%
      13%

    Working in Portsmouth

    Jobs
    C-
    Based on employment rates, job and business growth, and cost of living.
    Median Household Income
    $48,727
    National
    $55,322
    Search for Jobs in Portsmouth
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    Portsmouth Reviews

    134 reviews
    All Categories
    Depending on what part of Portsmouth you are in, you can really have a good time and be safe. They have been revitalizing downtown by renovating old buildings and providing really good restaurants and different kinds of attractions for the 30 something crowd. It is family oriented and you have access to the ferry to take you across to Norfolk and Waterside and see the sights on that side as well. But if you waiver to the other side of Portsmouth at night, you need to be on guard and cautious and the drugs are out and the abandoned buildings lay waste.
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    What I like about Portsmouth is that it is central to most of the neighboring cities . What I would like to change about it is that I would add more recreational places that are family-oriented. It makes it very difficult when you have to go quite a distance outside of your city/community in order to have fun with family (other than the park, small restaurants, and a few museums). Also, it would be more cost-effective if Portsmouth residents were able to avoid tunnel tolls. The workforce could also use growth to accommodate the rising costs of living. Portsmouth is a pleasant place to live, overall, as we residents are like a family. Most people know someone who knows someone else mutually.
    Portsmouth has a lot of history. The city does offer job opportunities which include the 2 Naval Shipyards located within the city that offer many job opportunities along with easy access to Newport News Shipyard located in Newport News Va. If ones is interested in furthering their education there are several colleges an university located with just a short drive. There is Old Dominion University, Regent University, Tidewater Community College and Norfolk State University just to name a few.