County profile · Virginia
Portsmouth city, VA market data
Population, household spending and competition for 56 business types in Portsmouth city, each scored against other counties.
- Population, 2025
- 96,777
- −1.2% since 2020
- Households
- 40,288
- Median household income
- $60,491
- +15.9% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Median home value
- $246,900
- Jobs located here
- 32,664
- Highest market score
- 72
- Pet businesses, #209 of 2,200 scored counties
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in Portsmouth city by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of Portsmouth city. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
An estimated 96,777 people live in Portsmouth city, in 40,288 households. Between 2020 and 2025, the population of Portsmouth city declined 1.2%, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median household income in Portsmouth city is $60,491 a year, 25% below the U.S. median of $80,734. That rose 15.9% from the 2015–2019 survey, before inflation.
Set against the U.S., households in Portsmouth city spend the most on vehicle insurance (an index of 108, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on memberships, classes and admissions (58).
The highest Groundwork market scores in Portsmouth city are for pet businesses (72), insurance agencies (72) and landscaping and lawn care companies (69). Portsmouth city ranks #209 of 2,200 scored counties for pet businesses.
Portsmouth city is part of the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk metro area. For its number of households, Portsmouth city has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for tire shops (50% above the U.S. rate) and the fewest for pet businesses (66% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in Portsmouth city
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares Portsmouth city with other counties for that business type, from 0 to 100. Spending per listing divides a whole spending line (all vehicle repairs, all eating out) by one type’s listings: the demand for each competitor, not a business’s revenue. Compare it across markets with its index, where 100 is the U.S. figure for the same type; the real estate types, whose line is all housing costs, show the index only. How the score works.
| Business type | Score | Rank among counties | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pet businesses | 72 | #209 of 2,200 | 14 | 3.5 | $2.2M | 255 | 8 |
| Insurance agencies | 72 | #406 of 2,272 | 25 | 6.2 | $3.4M | 270 | 15 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | 69 | #258 of 1,493 | 10 | 2.5 | $5.3M | 182 | 19 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | 66 | #332 of 1,656 | 9 | 2.2 | $4.5M | 251 | 17 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 65 | #332 of 1,771 | 21 | 5.2 | $2.5M | 151 | 41 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | 64 | #372 of 1,461 | 9 | 2.2 | $3.5M | 137 | 5 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 64 | #410 of 1,889 | 18 | 4.5 | $7.4M | 179 | 9 |
| Chiropractors | 63 | #365 of 1,490 | 9 | 2.2 | $4.5M | 187 | 3 |
| Optometrists and eye care | 61 | #387 of 1,302 | 9 | 2.2 | $4.5M | 143 | 3 |
| Physical therapy | 60 | #432 of 1,422 | 12 | 3.0 | $3.4M | 140 | 3 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 60 | #580 of 2,088 | 28 | 6.9 | $824K | 124 | 4 |
| Gyms | 59 | #556 of 1,792 | 16 | 4.0 | $1.4M | 111 | 4 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 59 | #588 of 2,176 | 47 | 11.7 | Index only | 216 | 16 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 59 | #596 of 1,886 | 22 | 5.5 | $1.8M | 186 | 18 |
| Roofing and gutters | 58 | #402 of 1,177 | 10 | 2.5 | $10.2M | 121 | 3 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 58 | #682 of 2,063 | 27 | 6.7 | $4.9M | 134 | 9 |
| House cleaning | 56 | #288 of 847 | 5 | 1.2 | $10.6M | 166 | 22 |
| Gas stations | 55 | #943 of 2,358 | 36 | 8.9 | $2.8M | 115 | 32 |
| Real estate | 54 | #854 of 2,229 | 56 | 13.9 | Index only | 229 | 41 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 53 | #922 of 2,087 | 38 | 9.4 | $1.8M | 140 | 12 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 51 | #1,126 of 2,405 | 165 | 41.0 | $810K | 122 | 54 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 50 | #1,171 of 2,405 | 298 | 74.0 | $448K | 121 | 148 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 49 | #1,220 of 2,394 | 189 | 46.9 | $213K | 140 | 44 |
| Home repair trades | 48 | #1,127 of 2,057 | 46 | 11.4 | $2.2M | 92 | 44 |
| Collision repair and body shops | 46 | #745 of 1,327 | 8 | 2.0 | $3.8M | 122 | 10 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | 46 | #772 of 1,334 | 9 | 2.2 | $2.6M | 127 | Under 3 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 46 | #994 of 1,707 | 25 | 6.2 | $4.1M | 86 | 24 |
| Spas and skin care | 46 | #1,011 of 1,769 | 21 | 5.2 | $1.5M | 174 | Under 3 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 46 | #1,261 of 2,210 | 54 | 13.4 | $1.3M | 142 | 23 |
| Electricians | 44 | #729 of 1,160 | 11 | 2.7 | $9.3M | 78 | 17 |
| Pizza | 44 | #1,252 of 2,090 | 23 | 5.7 | $5.8M | 114 | 85 |
| Property management | 43 | #569 of 910 | 7 | 1.7 | Index only | 143 | 21 |
| Grocery stores | 43 | #1,254 of 2,070 | 28 | 6.9 | $8.1M | 87 | 15 |
| Hair salons | 42 | #1,556 of 2,339 | 80 | 19.9 | $401K | 93 | 11 |
| Funeral homes | 41 | #935 of 1,472 | 9 | 2.2 | $529K | 78 | 6 |
| Pest control | 38 | #510 of 699 | 6 | 1.5 | $8.9M | 87 | Under 3 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 38 | #1,816 of 2,385 | 156 | 38.7 | $205K | 97 | 18 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 36 | #1,734 of 2,402 | 72 | 17.9 | $3.1M | 92 | 46 |
| Nail salons | 33 | #1,087 of 1,328 | 24 | 6.0 | $1.3M | 80 | 6 |
| Car washes and detailing | 32 | #1,158 of 1,451 | 14 | 3.5 | $2.2M | 86 | 7 |
| Convenience stores | 31 | #1,763 of 2,261 | 37 | 9.2 | $6.1M | 77 | 31 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 31 | #1,800 of 2,222 | 52 | 12.9 | $2.6M | 84 | 85 |
| Auto repair and car care | 25 | #2,164 of 2,401 | 133 | 33.0 | $227K | 84 | 64 |
| Auto repair shops | 23 | #2,193 of 2,378 | 87 | 21.6 | $347K | 78 | 45 |
| Child care and preschools | 22 | #1,458 of 1,611 | 33 | 8.2 | $443K | 44 | 25 |
| Laundromats | 20 | #703 of 785 | 7 | 1.7 | $9.6M | 77 | 6 |
| Tire shops | 18 | #1,424 of 1,530 | 23 | 5.7 | $1.3M | 52 | 9 |
| Barbershops | 14 | #1,280 of 1,356 | 29 | 7.2 | $1.1M | 59 | Under 3 |
| Dry cleaners | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 1.0 | $16.9M | 108 | 5 |
| Veterinarians | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 0.7 | $10.5M | 384 | 3 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 0.7 | $7.7M | 189 | 4 |
| Oil change and quick lube | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 0.5 | $15.1M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 0.5 | $20.1M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Home inspectors | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.2 | Index only | Too few | Under 3 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.2 | Index only | Too few | Under 3 |
| Pet stores | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.2 | $31.4M | Too few | Under 3 |
Household spending in Portsmouth city
What households here spend in a year on each line, in total and per household, with the index against the U.S. average (100).
| Spending line | A year, all households | Per household | Index vs. U.S. (100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle maintenance and repairs | $30.2M | $749 | 78 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $99.1M | $2,460 | 95 |
| Food away from home | $133.6M | $3,316 | 81 |
| Groceries | $225.6M | $5,599 | 89 |
| Personal care products and services | $32.1M | $796 | 79 |
| Child care and other personal services | $14.6M | $363 | 62 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $23.1M | $573 | 58 |
| Medical and dental services | $40.3M | $1,000 | 78 |
| Pets | $31.4M | $779 | 86 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $67.5M | $1,676 | 82 |
| Vehicle insurance | $84.8M | $2,105 | 108 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $102.5M | $2,544 | 84 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $53.2M | $1,321 | 93 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $554.3M | $13,758 | 83 |
Household spending is estimated from the incomes of the households in each neighborhood, using what households at each income spent nationally in 2024, adjusted for the region. It counts what residents spend, wherever they spend it.
Population and households in Portsmouth city
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 96,777−1.2% since 2020
- Households
- 40,288
- Median age
- 37.3
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 58%
- Vehicles per household
- 1.6
- Land area
- 33 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 2,919
- Median household income
- $60,491+15.9% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Average household income
- $77,856
- Median home value
- $246,900
- Jobs located here
- 32,664
- Daytime population
- 87,378Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in Portsmouth city?
These figures cover the whole county. A site report draws rings around one address and counts what’s inside them: households, spending, jobs, and the competitors on map listings by name and distance, for any of the 56 business types.
Or open the report at the center of Portsmouth city. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardRelated markets
Nearest counties in Virginia 8
- Chesapeake city, VA252,583 people
- Norfolk city, VA233,596 people
- Suffolk city, VA98,796 people
- Virginia Beach city, VA456,349 people
- Hampton city, VA137,557 people
- Isle of Wight County, VA39,974 people
- Newport News city, VA184,216 people
- Poquoson city, VA12,639 people
Questions
How fast is Portsmouth city, VA growing?
Population estimates put Portsmouth city at 96,777 people in 2025, down 1.2% since 2020, against +3.1% for the U.S. It has 40,288 households. Against the 2015–2019 survey, median household income rose 15.9%, before inflation.
How much do households in Portsmouth city, VA spend?
Households in Portsmouth city spend about $554.3M a year on rent and homeowner costs, $225.6M on groceries and $133.6M on food away from home. Relative to the U.S., household spending in Portsmouth city runs highest on vehicle insurance (an index of 108, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on memberships, classes and admissions (58).
Which business types have the highest market scores in Portsmouth city, VA?
Of the business types scored in Portsmouth city, pet businesses (72), insurance agencies (72) and landscaping and lawn care companies (69) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For pet businesses, that ranks #209 of 2,200 scored counties.
How does Portsmouth city, VA compare with the U.S.?
Median household income in Portsmouth city is $60,491, 25% below the U.S. median of $80,734. The population fell 1.2% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $246,900, against $332,700 for the U.S. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for tire shops (50% above the U.S. rate) and lowest for pet businesses (66% below the U.S. rate).
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. 48 of the 56 business types have a score in Portsmouth city, each ranked against other counties.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in Portsmouth city. It maps the competitors on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
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Screening a site or an acquisition in Portsmouth city?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
The button opens the report at the center of Portsmouth city. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.