Health Profile of Portsmouth, Virginia
Portsmouth Health Score
The Map AI Health Index is a score that reflects local life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and physical environment to help you quickly compare the overall health and well-being of different areas.
-
C
Portsmouth Below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Portsmouth | Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 73.1 | 77.3 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 7.4% | 6.9% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 19.7% | 16.9% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Portsmouth is 73.1 years, about 4.2 years shorter than the Virginia average of 77.3 years. The uninsured rate is 7.4%, higher than the Virginia average of 6.9%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 19.7% of residents, higher than the Virginia average of 16.9%.
Population by Age
Older residents
31,088 residents in Portsmouth are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 1,713 635 men · 1,078 women
- 75–84 4,253 1,614 men · 2,639 women
- 65–74 8,278 3,605 men · 4,673 women
- 50–64 16,844 7,871 men · 8,973 women
Younger residents
21,529 residents in Portsmouth are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 6,175 3,125 boys · 3,050 girls
- 7–12 6,174 3,009 boys · 3,165 girls
- 3–7 5,104 2,540 boys · 2,563 girls
- 0–3 4,076 2,136 boys · 1,940 girls
About 7,360 residents in Portsmouth (7.6% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 73.1 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Portsmouth | Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 14.6% | 12.2% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 5.8% | 6.8% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 6.3% | 6.8% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 42.5% | 36.3% | 34.3% |
The rate of diabetes in Portsmouth is about 20% higher than in Virginia. The rate of obesity in Portsmouth is about 17% higher than in Virginia. The rate of cancer in Portsmouth is about 15% lower than in Virginia.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Portsmouth | Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 20.1% | 19.0% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 14.6% | 15.2% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 30.2% | 24.8% | 25.1% |
The rate of sedentary lifestyle in Portsmouth is about 22% higher than in Virginia.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 150,620 cigarettes a day, 4.5 million a month, or 55.0 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 1.7 million minutes a day and 604.7 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Portsmouth is 73.1 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.04 lifetimes a day, or 16 lifetimes a year.
* Source: Shaw M, Mitchell R, Dorling D. "Time for a smoke? One cigarette reduces your life by 11 minutes." BMJ. 2000;320:53.
Illustrative only. This is not an estimate of how many people actually die from smoking each day or year - it's a rough, order-of-magnitude comparison meant to help grasp the scale of smoking in this area. We take no responsibility for any decisions made based on this figure.
Air Quality
| Metric | Portsmouth | Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 6.08 | 6.12 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 6.1 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Portsmouth is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Portsmouth, VA Health Compared With Nearby Cities
Portsmouth, VA is the smallest of the 4 cities compared here, 97,157 residents against a local median of 233,287. Portsmouth, VA sits close to the middle of its own neighbourhood. No measure below is more than 15% off the local median, so the choice between these cities turns on things this data does not capture.
The largest of those small differences is obesity, 13% above the local median at 42.5% against 37.5%. Portsmouth, VA has the 4th lowest obesity of the 4 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portsmouth, VA | 97,157 | 73.1 yrs #4/4 | 7.4% #3/4 | 42.5% #4/4 |
| Norfolk, VA | 233,287 | 75.2 yrs | 9.1% | 37.6% |
| Chesapeake, VA | 252,549 | 77.2 yrs | 5.8% | 37.5% |
| Hampton, VA | 137,557 | 75.6 yrs | 7.0% | 37.4% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Portsmouth, Virginia has an overall health index grade of C, making it about on par with Virginia, and about on par with the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about health in Portsmouth, Virginia.
How healthy is Portsmouth, Virginia?
Portsmouth, Virginia has a Map AI Health Index grade of C, based on life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and the physical environment; a C grade means residents are close to the U.S. average.
How long do people live in Portsmouth, Virginia?
People in Portsmouth, Virginia can expect to live 73.1 years on average, 4.2 years shorter than the Virginia average of 77.3.
What percentage of Portsmouth, Virginia residents are uninsured?
7.4% of residents in Portsmouth, Virginia have no health insurance, about 1 in 13 people, about the same as the Virginia rate of 6.9%.
What is the obesity rate in Portsmouth, Virginia?
42.5% of adults in Portsmouth, Virginia are classified as obese, about 1 in 2, 6.1 points above the Virginia rate of 36.3%.
What health issue is more common in Portsmouth, Virginia than elsewhere?
Compared with Virginia as a whole, physical inactivity stands out most: the adult rate here is 30.2%, about 22% higher than the Virginia rate of 24.8%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Portsmouth, Virginia go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 150,620 cigarettes a day, 4.5 million a month, or 55.0 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 1.7 million minutes a day and 604.7 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Portsmouth is 73.1 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.04 lifetimes a day, or 16 lifetimes a year.
Analyze any area in the US
Get local demographics for any address, aggregated by drive time or radius, on the interactive map.
Explore the map →