Best Life Index › States › Virginia › Cities › Portsmouth

Virginia city profile

What Is It Like to Live in Portsmouth?

What it costs to live in Portsmouth, and how it compares with other Virginia cities, in plain numbers.

Value score

37

72nd best value in Virginia

How much you get for what you pay, versus other Virginia cities.

Overall livability

22

86th overall in Virginia

Cost, safety, schools, jobs and quality of life combined.

Portsmouth is home to about 97,454 people. A typical home runs $182,700 and a household earns around $54,000, a price-to-income ratio of 3.4. Among Virginia's largest cities, it ranks 72nd for value and 86th overall.

Portsmouth at a glance

Median home price

$182,700

28th in VA of 90

Median rent

$1,116/mo

Median household income

$54,000

Home price to income

3.4x

Unemployment

6.3%

78th in VA of 90

School rating

4/10

79th in VA of 90

Air quality (AQI)

45

0th in VA of 90

Walk score

11/100

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‹ See all top Virginia cities ranked  ยท  Virginia state profile ›

Sources: Home prices and rent from Zillow; income, unemployment and commute from the U.S. Census; school ratings from state education data; crime from the FBI; air quality from the EPA. City rankings are within Virginia only. Updated 2026.