Portsmouth, Virginia Income Statistics
Portsmouth Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of an area's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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D
Portsmouth Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Portsmouth | Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $60,549 | $93,527 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $49,194 | $68,139 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 3.2% | 4.3% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 8.0% | 18.3% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 4.5% | 17.7% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Portsmouth is about 35% lower than in Virginia. Income has been growing slower in Portsmouth (3.2%/yr) than in Virginia (4.3%/yr).
About 8% of adults in Portsmouth earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the Virginia average of 18%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Portsmouth, Virginia grew by 36.6% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $60,549 in 2024. That's an average of about 3.2% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Portsmouth
| Metric | Portsmouth | Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.529 | 0.544 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $56,120 | $78,585 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $47,506 | $62,626 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 15.3% | 20.3% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Portsmouth, it is 0.529, lower than Virginia's 0.544, so income is more evenly distributed here than there, and lower than the US's 0.552, so income is more evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 18% more than women's income in Portsmouth, Virginia. Over a 35-year career, a 18% wage gap accumulates to roughly $301,490 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Portsmouth, Virginia has narrowed from about 18% to 15% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 29% in 2018, and was narrowest at 14% in 2023. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $1,641 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Portsmouth | Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 6.0% | 4.1% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 8.7% | 18.3% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 21 | 23 | 22 |
Approximately 2,955 people are unemployed in Portsmouth, Virginia.
The average commute time in Portsmouth is 21 minutes, shorter than the 23 minutes in Virginia.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Portsmouth, Virginia has fallen from 7.5% to 6.0% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 11.1% in 2015 and fell as low as 5.7% in 2020.
Portsmouth, VA Wealth 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's unemployment, at 6.0%, runs 29% above the 4.7% typical of the cities around it. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Income growth tells the same story from another angle: 3.2%/yr against a local median of 4.4%/yr, 27% below it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: Portsmouth, VA reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The cities themselves spread 1.2% on unemployment, so Portsmouth, VA sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Portsmouth, VA has the 4th lowest unemployment of the 4 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portsmouth, VA | 97,157 | $60,549 #4/4 | 3.2%/yr #4/4 | 6.0% #4/4 | 0.529 #3/4 |
| Norfolk, VA | 233,287 | $66,067 | 4.8%/yr | 4.7% | 0.528 |
| Chesapeake, VA | 252,549 | $95,849 | 4.0%/yr | 4.6% | 0.537 |
| Hampton, VA | 137,557 | $70,017 | 4.4%/yr | 5.8% | 0.524 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Portsmouth, Virginia has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it somewhat worse than Virginia, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Portsmouth, Virginia.
How Rich Is Portsmouth, Virginia?
Portsmouth has a wealth index grade of D. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a D grade means residents are somewhat worse off than the U.S. average. The median household income is $60,549, about 35% lower than the Virginia average of $93,527.
How has median household income changed in Portsmouth, Virginia?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Portsmouth, Virginia rose 37%, from $44,333 to $60,549. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Virginia as a whole: +37% against +55%.
What was the median household income in Portsmouth in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Portsmouth, Virginia was $58,903, up 4% from $56,880 in 2022. The Virginia median that year was $91,420.
What was the median household income in Portsmouth in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Portsmouth, Virginia was $52,799. By 2024 it had risen 15% to $60,549.
Is it hard to find a job in Portsmouth, Virginia?
Unemployment in Portsmouth, Virginia is 6.0%, well above the Virginia rate of 4.1%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Portsmouth, Virginia?
The Gini coefficient in Portsmouth is 0.529. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is lower than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed more equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Portsmouth, Virginia?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Portsmouth, Virginia has narrowed from about 18% to 15% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 29% in 2018, and was narrowest at 14% in 2023. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $1,641 since 2009.
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