Jobs, pay and daily life in Portsmouth, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 08/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Portsmouth is a city in Virginia with 97,190 residents. The median household earns $60,491 a year and the median rent is $1,300 a month, which is 25.8% of the median household income. It is part of the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC metropolitan area, where BLS counts 763,060 jobs.
How Portsmouth compares. Among the 100 largest places in Virginia, Portsmouth is #11 by population, #98 for remote work (#1 = most), #94 for college degrees (#1 = most), #89 for household income (#1 = highest). Its county, Portsmouth City, is #19 of 133 counties for average pay ($67,867).
Portsmouth has 97,190 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 1.1% of the population of Virginia. It covers 33 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 2,919 people per square mile. The median age is 35.9, 8% younger than the state median (35.9 against 39.0).
The median gross rent is $1,300 a month (rent plus utilities), 18% below the state median ($1,300 against $1,579). Over a year that is 25.8% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $246,900, which is 4.1 times the median household income ($60,491). 57.9% of households own their home, 14% below the state average (57.9% against 67.3%).
The Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC metropolitan area has 763,060 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $49,430 a year, 3% below the national median ($49,430 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are office and administrative support (80,130 jobs, median $45,510); food preparation and serving related (75,010 jobs, median $32,210); transportation and material moving (67,220 jobs, median $43,240). The area is most specialised in architecture and engineering (1.6 times) and construction and extraction (1.3 times), where the share of workers is well above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are management ($116,780) and computer and mathematical ($106,280). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Portsmouth City was 4.7%. 58.6% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Portsmouth City; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 71.1% drive alone, 1.6% use public transit, 3.2% walk, 8.7% work from home. 10.6% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 40% below the state average (10.6% against 17.6%).
24.3% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 42% below the state share (24.3% against 42.2%). 3.3% of residents were born outside the United States, 75% below the state share (3.3% against 13.1%). The poverty rate is 17.3%, 75% above the state rate (17.3% against 9.9%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 80°F (26.6°C), and the coolest is Jan at 40°F (4.2°C). About 1,205 mm (47 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Aug is the wettest month (138 mm) and Feb the driest (72 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Norfolk (8 miles, similar rent); Chesapeake (13 miles, rent 22% higher); Hampton (13 miles, rent 10% higher); Newport News (18 miles, rent 3% higher). Rent differences are against Portsmouth; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Virginia (1,124) →State guide: VirginiaCountry guidePortsmouth CityVirginia rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 1,124 federal postings open in Virginia (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in Virginia →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 22,520 | 1.19 | $28,780 | $27,420 | $35,360 | -8% |
| Retail Salespersons | 20,890 | 1.09 | $30,820 | $26,960 | $44,570 | -13% |
| General and Operations Managers | 17,400 | 1.01 | $100,340 | $47,490 | $206,480 | -5% |
| Registered Nurses | 16,870 | 1.02 | $89,450 | $63,750 | $114,610 | -8% |
| Cashiers | 16,840 | 1.11 | $29,320 | $26,670 | $35,450 | -11% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 13,920 | 0.96 | $39,160 | $30,880 | $56,430 | -3% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 13,750 | 0.99 | $35,120 | $29,350 | $48,250 | -6% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 13,650 | 0.65 | $28,420 | $26,090 | $37,190 | -21% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 13,100 | 1.18 | $39,020 | $27,860 | $70,850 | +11% |
| Office Clerks, General | 12,490 | 1.03 | $44,630 | $31,030 | $61,220 | -1% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 11,840 | 1.09 | $33,580 | $27,650 | $45,360 | -9% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 10,960 | 0.86 | $38,150 | $30,300 | $57,160 | -15% |
| Business Operations Specialists, All Other | 8,670 | 1.63 | $87,530 | $47,640 | $127,950 | +5% |
| Cooks, Restaurant | 8,380 | 1.21 | $36,280 | $29,210 | $44,280 | -3% |
| Nursing Assistants | 8,110 | 1.14 | $38,990 | $31,210 | $47,440 | -8% |
| Security Guards | 7,470 | 1.19 | $37,230 | $30,830 | $62,710 | -2% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 7,460 | 0.74 | $50,460 | $38,180 | $71,930 | -14% |
| Software Developers | 7,160 | 0.86 | $129,090 | $80,090 | $178,830 | -5% |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 7,130 | 1.05 | $63,380 | $48,910 | $100,290 | -1% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 7,100 | 0.95 | $47,820 | $34,390 | $74,610 | -4% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chief Executives | 530 | 0.53 | $297,350 | $124,010 | $612,350 | +39% |
| Physicians, All Other | 1,050 | 0.63 | $266,280 | $93,350 | $386,760 | +0% |
| Family Medicine Physicians | 560 | 1.05 | $213,690 | $63,550 | $662,920 | -12% |
| Dentists, General | 720 | 1.18 | $177,400 | $106,470 | $298,950 | +4% |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | 1,360 | 0.41 | $170,560 | $110,140 | $263,320 | -3% |
| Financial Managers | 2,290 | 0.55 | $163,940 | $93,280 | $275,850 | -2% |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | 750 | 0.70 | $161,340 | $126,380 | $216,030 | -6% |
| Sales Managers | 1,270 | 0.41 | $158,750 | $78,410 | $285,200 | +7% |
| Marketing Managers | 610 | 0.32 | $155,300 | $96,330 | $248,570 | -7% |
| Managers, All Other | 2,300 | 0.75 | $143,230 | $104,040 | $193,250 | +1% |
| Purchasing Managers | 500 | 1.21 | $143,230 | $104,260 | $201,000 | -3% |
| Human Resources Managers | 680 | 0.63 | $140,410 | $99,270 | $217,170 | -6% |
| Aerospace Engineers | 800 | 2.40 | $139,010 | $92,930 | $193,250 | +3% |
| Engineers, All Other | 1,250 | 1.65 | $138,590 | $83,660 | $188,280 | +13% |
| Pharmacists | 1,470 | 0.93 | $136,280 | $109,810 | $166,400 | -3% |
| Lawyers | 2,280 | 0.62 | $133,380 | $75,690 | $313,680 | -16% |
| Software Developers | 7,160 | 0.86 | $129,090 | $80,090 | $178,830 | -5% |
| Physician Assistants | 780 | 0.99 | $126,430 | $96,360 | $172,860 | -7% |
| Information Security Analysts | 1,490 | 1.59 | $126,030 | $74,670 | $174,330 | -2% |
| Nurse Practitioners | 1,300 | 0.82 | $124,530 | $101,530 | $143,530 | -6% |
These figures are for the whole Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $49,430 (US $50,980); unemployment 3.8% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 23.3% |
| Retail trade | 13.5% |
| Manufacturing | 12.9% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 9.6% |
| Public administration | 7.3% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 7.2% |
| Construction | 6.5% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 6.0% |
| Other services | 5.6% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 5.3% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.4% |
| Information | 1.2% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.1% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Portsmouth lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portsmouth City | 97,190 | $7,777 million | $80,022 | 43,620 | 1,876 | $67,867 | +0.6% | 4.7% | 43,260 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 5,926 | 25.7% | $56,229 | 0.95 |
| Administrative and waste services | 3,125 | 13.6% | $52,230 | 1.22 |
| Retail trade | 2,741 | 11.9% | $32,928 | 0.63 |
| Accommodation and food services | 2,335 | 10.1% | $22,130 | 0.59 |
| Construction | 1,960 | 8.5% | $73,758 | 0.86 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 1,794 | 7.8% | $80,531 | 0.97 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 1,343 | 5.8% | $47,755 | 1.83 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 1,224 | 5.3% | $49,446 | 0.93 |
| Professional and technical services | 1,207 | 5.2% | $87,633 | 0.40 |
| Finance and insurance | 487 | 2.1% | $65,382 | 0.28 |
| Real estate and rental | 405 | 1.8% | $47,591 | 0.60 |
| Information | 264 | 1.1% | $79,420 | 0.32 |
| Educational services | 175 | 0.8% | $30,606 | 0.19 |
| Management of companies | 71 | 0.3% | $83,538 | 0.10 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 71.1% |
| Public transit | 1.6% |
| Walk | 3.2% |
| Work from home | 8.7% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 10.6% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $60,491 |
| Income per person | $33,568 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,300 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 25.8% |
| Median home value | $246,900 |
| Homeowners | 57.9% |
| Poverty rate | 17.3% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 97.9 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $49,430 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set; graduated states show 0 until you enter your own estimate. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Graduated, top rate 5.75%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 35.9 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 89.0% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 24.3% |
| Born abroad | 3.3% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 58.6% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 4.2 | 40 | 73 |
| Feb | 5.2 | 41 | 72 |
| Mar | 8.5 | 47 | 85 |
| Apr | 14.0 | 57 | 88 |
| May | 19.1 | 66 | 98 |
| Jun | 24.2 | 76 | 113 |
| Jul | 26.6 | 80 | 131 |
| Aug | 26.0 | 79 | 138 |
| Sep | 23.0 | 73 | 130 |
| Oct | 17.5 | 64 | 104 |
| Nov | 11.5 | 53 | 82 |
| Dec | 7.1 | 45 | 91 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Norfolk | VA | 8 mi | 233,596 | $66,109 | $1,321 |
| Chesapeake | VA | 13 mi | 252,583 | $95,373 | $1,586 |
| Hampton | VA | 13 mi | 137,557 | $69,621 | $1,427 |
| Newport News | VA | 18 mi | 184,216 | $69,634 | $1,339 |
| Virginia Beach | VA | 19 mi | 456,349 | $92,968 | $1,714 |
| Suffolk | VA | 19 mi | 98,796 | $92,666 | $1,563 |
| Williamsburg | VA | 34 mi | 15,798 | $75,604 | $1,407 |
| Elizabeth City | NC | 40 mi | 18,871 | $52,141 | $1,117 |
| Hopewell | VA | 60 mi | 22,959 | $54,729 | $1,106 |
| Petersburg | VA | 62 mi | 33,537 | $50,698 | $1,174 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
97,190 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,300 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 25.8% of the median household income.
$60,491 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
4.7% (BLS county, Portsmouth City (latest month 2026M09)).
Virginia. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.