Population 253,122 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Chesapeake
Household size in Chesapeake
| Period | Chesapeake | Virginia Beach area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.78 | 2.64 | 2.63 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.80 | 2.66 | 2.68 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.80 | 2.61 | 2.68 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.73 | 2.54 | 2.62 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.04 | −0.10 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Chesapeake average 2.73 people, a bit above the national 2.65, so families with children are somewhat more common here. Household size has edged down from 2.78 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Households are largest in the southwest and smallest in the east.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Chesapeake
| Period | Chesapeake | Virginia Beach area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.0 | 37.0 | 38.2 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 37.8 | 37.6 | 39.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 38.2 | 38.6 | 40.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 38.9 | 39.2 | 40.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.9 | +2.2 | +2.1 | +2.3 |
At 38.9, the median age in Chesapeake is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 37.0, as it has nationally. Residents skew youngest in the north and oldest in the southeast.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Chesapeake
| Period | Chesapeake | Virginia Beach area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.4% | 13.7% | 11.1% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 12.7% | 13.6% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 13.0% | 12.9% | 10.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 12.8% | 12.9% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.6 pts | −0.7 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in eight households in Chesapeake (12.8%), a bit above the national share of 11.6%. That is in line with the rest of the Virginia Beach area. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has edged down 0.6 points, as it has nationally.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Chesapeake
Renters in Chesapeake
| Period | Chesapeake | Virginia Beach area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 25.2% | 35.1% | 31.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 28.4% | 37.6% | 33.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 28.8% | 38.4% | 33.7% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 25.7% | 36.6% | 32.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | +0.5 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Chesapeake own their homes; 25.7% rent, below the national share of 34.8%. Among homeowners, 27.7% have no mortgage at all, well below the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the north; owners are most common in the southwest. The renter share is up 0.5 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Chesapeake
| Period | Chesapeake | Virginia Beach area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.3% | 9.1% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 7.0% | 9.7% | 10.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.8% | 9.5% | 9.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 4.7% | 7.6% | 8.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.6 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Only 4.7% of homes in Chesapeake are vacant, far below the national rate of 9.6%, which usually means strong demand for housing. Vacancy is down 0.6 points from 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Chesapeake
| Period | Chesapeake | Virginia Beach area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1983 | 1977 | 1978 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1984 | 1979 | 1980 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1987 | 1980 | 1981 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1989 | 1982 | 1984 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +5 | +5 | +6 |
Chesapeake has newer housing than the country as a whole: the median home was built in 1989, versus 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1983 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the southwest, the oldest in the north.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Chesapeake
| Period | Chesapeake | Virginia Beach area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,218 | $1,107 | $1,143 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,371 | $1,232 | $1,238 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,506 | $1,358 | $1,436 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,814 | $1,647 | $1,743 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$595 | +$540 | +$600 | +$606 |
The median renter in Chesapeake pays $1,814 a month for rent and utilities, above the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $595 a month from 2006–10, a 49% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 34.9% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the north; the highest are in the southwest.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Chesapeake
Bachelor's degrees in Chesapeake
| Period | Chesapeake | Virginia Beach area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 28.4% | 27.5% | 35.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 29.9% | 28.9% | 36.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 33.2% | 32.0% | 39.3% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 36.7% | 35.4% | 42.5% | 35.6% |
| Change | +8.3 pts | +7.9 pts | +7.3 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are about as common in Chesapeake as nationally: 36.7% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 8.3 points, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the southwest and least in the north.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Chesapeake
| Period | Chesapeake | Virginia Beach area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 89.3% | 88.9% | 86.8% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 91.0% | 90.0% | 88.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 92.3% | 91.5% | 89.9% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.2% | 92.8% | 91.6% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.9 pts | +3.9 pts | +4.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Chesapeake is above the national rate: 94.2% of adults have a diploma, against 89.3%. The picture is much the same across the Virginia Beach area. The share with a diploma has risen 4.9 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Chesapeake
| Period | Chesapeake | Virginia Beach area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.8% | 6.5% | 6.0% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.6% | 8.2% | 7.0% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.8% | 5.6% | 4.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.7% | 4.9% | 4.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.2 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Chesapeake runs below the national rate: 4.7% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. The Virginia Beach area as a whole looks much the same. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Chesapeake compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chesapeake | 2.73 | 38.9 | 12.8% | 25.7% | 4.7% | 1989 | $1,814 | 36.7% | 94.2% | 4.7% |
| Portsmouth | 2.40 | 37.4 | 18.8% | 42.1% | 7.8% | 1968 | $1,420 | 24.0% | 88.8% | 6.8% |
| Norfolk | 2.40 | 35.2 | 15.5% | 53.8% | 9.1% | 1967 | $1,451 | 32.4% | 90.8% | 6.2% |
| Virginia Beach area | 2.54 | 39.2 | 12.9% | 36.6% | 7.6% | 1982 | $1,647 | 35.4% | 92.8% | 4.9% |
| Suffolk | 2.64 | 39.4 | 13.3% | 29.3% | 7.6% | 1992 | $1,673 | 33.5% | 91.3% | 5.1% |
| Dawley Corners | 2.76 | 44.8 | 7.9% | 15.5% | 2.6% | 1986 | $1,145 | 29.9% | 95.7% | 2.9% |
| Longview | 2.36 | 51.5 | 4.2% | 10.5% | 10.0% | 1994 | $1,260 | 18.6% | 88.3% | 1.8% |
| Everets | 2.26 | 50.9 | 6.2% | 17.3% | 16.4% | 1986 | $1,257 | 23.4% | 96.2% | 1.1% |
| Orbit | 2.61 | 42.0 | 13.1% | 25.9% | 9.7% | 1993 | $1,060 | 20.6% | 94.5% | 3.1% |
| Windsor | 2.54 | 42.1 | 11.8% | 19.9% | 10.1% | 1992 | $1,110 | 20.0% | 92.7% | 3.1% |
| Whitley | 2.71 | 42.5 | 8.9% | 13.9% | 23.1% | 1993 | $1,203 | 21.4% | 92.6% | 0.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: St. Joseph, MO · Spokane, WA · Southfield, MI · Snellville, GA · St. Cloud, MN · Savannah, GA · San Francisco, CA · Santa Maria, CA · Slidell, LA · Scranton, PA
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Chesapeake. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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