Population 22,278 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Portsmouth
Household size in Portsmouth
| Period | Portsmouth | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.29 | 2.51 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.47 | 2.51 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.30 | 2.47 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.28 | 2.46 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.01 | −0.05 | −0.03 |
Households in Portsmouth are small: just 2.28 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Portsmouth has smaller households than the great majority of Ohio cities.
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 Portsmouth
| Period | Portsmouth | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.7 | 39.0 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 39.3 | 40.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 38.8 | 40.7 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 41.5 | 40.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.7 | +1.8 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Portsmouth are younger than 41.5 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 38.7, as it has nationally. Residents skew youngest in the southwest and oldest in the east.
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 Portsmouth
| Period | Portsmouth | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.9% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 15.2% | 11.9% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 16.0% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 15.5% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.6 pts | −0.0 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head nearly one in six households in Portsmouth (15.5%), well above the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has edged up 0.6 points since 2006–10, even as the national share fell. Only 35 of the 372 Ohio cities with 5,000+ people have a higher share of single-parent households.
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 Portsmouth
Renters in Portsmouth
| Period | Portsmouth | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 44.6% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 44.2% | 33.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 47.9% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 45.7% | 32.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.1 pts | +2.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is far more common in Portsmouth than nationally: 45.7% of households rent their homes, against 34.8%. About six in ten owners (60.4%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has edged up 1.1 points, in line with the national trend. Only 18 of the 372 Ohio cities with 5,000+ people have a higher share of renters.
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 Portsmouth
| Period | Portsmouth | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.0% | 10.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 16.9% | 10.8% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 14.1% | 10.2% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 13.4% | 8.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.6 pts | −2.2 pts | −1.8 pts |
More homes sit empty in Portsmouth than nationally: 13.4%, against 9.6%. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Only 36 of the 372 Ohio cities with 5,000+ people have a higher vacancy rate.
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 Portsmouth
| Period | Portsmouth | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1951 | 1968 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1949 | 1969 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1952 | 1970 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1954 | 1972 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +4 | +6 |
Portsmouth is a place of older homes: half were built before 1954, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The newest homes are mostly in the north, the oldest in the south. Only 18 of the 372 Ohio cities with 5,000+ people have older homes.
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 Portsmouth
| Period | Portsmouth | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $539 | $765 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $570 | $814 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $629 | $901 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $755 | $1,142 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$216 | +$377 | +$606 |
The median renter in Portsmouth pays $755 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $216 a month since 2006–10, up 40%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 35.9% of the typical renter's income, 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 southwest; the highest are in the northeast.
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 Portsmouth
Bachelor's degrees in Portsmouth
| Period | Portsmouth | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.1% | 25.4% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 15.5% | 26.5% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 14.6% | 28.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 16.7% | 31.9% | 35.6% |
| Change | +0.6 pts | +6.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Portsmouth: 16.7% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 0.6 points from 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the north and least in the south.
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 Portsmouth
| Period | Portsmouth | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 79.3% | 87.7% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 80.8% | 88.9% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 84.1% | 90.4% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 86.2% | 91.7% | 89.3% |
| Change | +6.9 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in seven adults in Portsmouth never finished high school, a bit more than nationally: 86.2% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 6.9 points, as it has nationally. Only 25 of the 372 Ohio cities with 5,000+ people have a lower share of high school graduates.
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 Portsmouth
| Period | Portsmouth | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.4% | 8.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 12.0% | 9.4% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 11.0% | 5.5% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.4% | 4.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −6.0 pts | −3.8 pts | −2.7 pts |
Finding work has been harder in Portsmouth: 7.4% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well above the national rate of 5.4%. Of the 372 Ohio cities with 5,000+ people, only 27 have higher unemployment. Unemployment is down 6.0 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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).
Portsmouth 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portsmouth | 2.28 | 41.5 | 15.5% | 45.7% | 13.4% | 1954 | $755 | 16.7% | 86.2% | 7.4% |
| New Boston | 2.41 | 41.1 | 13.8% | 67.1% | 10.4% | 1957 | $675 | 8.0% | 76.4% | 9.7% |
| Rosemount | 2.21 | 47.8 | 8.1% | 25.9% | 14.5% | 1968 | $721 | 31.3% | 93.1% | 1.8% |
| Siloam | 2.41 | 49.1 | 2.3% | 14.4% | 13.0% | 1982 | $935 | 16.6% | 93.3% | 1.4% |
| South Shore | 2.37 | 46.8 | 4.2% | 23.6% | 12.0% | 1974 | $789 | 13.4% | 87.0% | 9.1% |
| Maloneton | 2.42 | 48.2 | 1.8% | 14.6% | 12.0% | 1977 | $785 | 15.5% | 90.2% | 4.1% |
| South Portsmouth | 2.45 | 49.2 | 7.7% | 13.6% | 14.5% | 1975 | $678 | 12.5% | 92.2% | 7.7% |
| West Portsmouth | 2.16 | 40.3 | 9.9% | 29.3% | 15.8% | 1967 | $776 | 15.3% | 88.1% | 8.7% |
| Rushtown | 2.56 | 43.7 | 13.5% | 8.6% | 14.4% | 1969 | $1,053 | 11.3% | 96.3% | 10.3% |
| Slocums | 2.28 | 41.7 | 13.8% | 16.9% | 12.6% | 1964 | $849 | 10.5% | 86.5% | 4.0% |
| Wheelersburg | 2.46 | 42.4 | 11.1% | 25.3% | 8.1% | 1977 | $1,023 | 25.7% | 92.4% | 6.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Summit, NJ · Evergreen, CO · Flat Rock, MI · Fort Walton Beach, FL · Fountain Hills, AZ · Gainesville, TX · Goodlettsville, TN · Greenbelt, MD · Holt, MI · Saginaw, TX
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 Portsmouth. 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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