Population 10,010 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Portsmouth
Household size in Portsmouth
| Period | Portsmouth | Portland area | Oregon | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.51 | 2.57 | 2.50 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 3.02 | 2.63 | 2.55 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 3.12 | 2.63 | 2.56 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.55 | 2.51 | 2.50 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.04 | −0.06 | +0.00 | −0.03 |
Households in Portsmouth run a little small, averaging 2.55 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. Since 2006–10, household size has crept up from 2.51, even as the national average fell. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the north.
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 | Portland area | Oregon | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 30.1 | 37.3 | 39.0 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 30.8 | 38.3 | 40.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 29.7 | 39.3 | 40.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 34.1 | 41.0 | 41.6 | 40.1 |
| Change | +4.0 | +3.7 | +2.5 | +2.3 |
Portsmouth is young: half of its residents are under 34.1, compared with a national median of 40.1. The population tilts toward young adults, many of them living alone or as couples. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 30.1, as it has nationally. Few Portland neighborhoods are younger: only three of 64.
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 | Portland area | Oregon | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 24.3% | 10.5% | 10.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 20.2% | 10.3% | 10.8% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 16.7% | 9.4% | 9.9% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 12.8% | 9.5% | 10.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | −11.5 pts | −1.0 pts | −0.1 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are a bit more common in Portsmouth than nationally: 12.8%, against 11.6%. The single-parent share has fallen 11.5 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Portsmouth has a higher share of single-parent households than at least four in five Portland neighborhoods.
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 | Portland area | Oregon | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 56.5% | 36.6% | 36.2% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 58.0% | 39.1% | 38.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 44.4% | 37.6% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 44.7% | 38.3% | 36.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | −11.8 pts | +1.7 pts | +0.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is more common in Portsmouth than nationally: 44.7% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% for the U.S. Among homeowners, 18.1% have no mortgage at all, well below the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the north; owners are most common in the south. The renter share is down 11.8 points from 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
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 | Portland area | Oregon | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.8% | 7.4% | 8.9% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 3.1% | 6.8% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.9% | 6.1% | 8.3% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.4% | 7.1% | 7.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | +1.6 pts | −0.3 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in Portsmouth: 6.4% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. The picture is much the same across the Portland area. Since 2006–10, vacancy has risen 1.6 points, even as the national rate fell.
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 | Portland area | Oregon | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1972 | 1977 | 1976 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1970 | 1978 | 1977 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1974 | 1980 | 1978 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1965 | 1981 | 1981 | 1980 |
| Change | −7 | +4 | +5 | +6 |
The housing in Portsmouth is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1965, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The newest homes are mostly in the north, the oldest in the south.
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 | Portland area | Oregon | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $849 | $961 | $870 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $877 | $1,105 | $982 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,118 | $1,374 | $1,183 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,607 | $1,794 | $1,601 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$758 | +$833 | +$731 | +$606 |
The median renter in Portsmouth pays $1,607 a month for rent and utilities, close to the national median of $1,571. Rents here are lower than in the Portland area as a whole ($1,794). Rent has climbed $758 a month since 2006–10, up 89%, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 33.0% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched.
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 | Portland area | Oregon | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 20.0% | 33.3% | 29.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 20.7% | 34.5% | 30.2% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 31.5% | 39.2% | 33.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 40.6% | 42.6% | 36.4% | 35.6% |
| Change | +20.6 pts | +9.3 pts | +7.3 pts | +7.2 pts |
About four in ten adults 25 and older in Portsmouth (40.6%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, a bit above the national share of 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 20.6 points, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the southeast 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 Portsmouth
| Period | Portsmouth | Portland area | Oregon | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 75.9% | 90.0% | 88.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 79.3% | 90.6% | 89.4% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 84.1% | 91.9% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 83.8% | 93.2% | 91.5% | 89.3% |
| Change | +7.9 pts | +3.2 pts | +3.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in six adults in Portsmouth never finished high school, well above the national share: only 83.8% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 7.9 points, mirroring the country. Few Portland neighborhoods have a lower share of high school graduates: only four of 64.
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 | Portland area | Oregon | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.4% | 8.6% | 8.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 17.1% | 9.6% | 10.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.1% | 4.7% | 5.6% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.5% | 4.6% | 5.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.9 pts | −4.0 pts | −3.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Finding work has been harder in Portsmouth: 8.5% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well above the national rate of 5.4%. Of Portland's 64 neighborhoods, only five have higher unemployment. Unemployment is down 2.9 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 neighborhoods
| Neighborhood | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portsmouth | 2.55 | 34.1 | 12.8% | 44.7% | 6.4% | 1965 | $1,607 | 40.6% | 83.8% | 8.5% |
| University Park | 2.69 | 26.3 | 5.1% | 29.7% | 9.8% | 1949 | $2,032 | 49.8% | 96.4% | 6.9% |
| Kenton | 2.30 | 38.5 | 10.7% | 34.5% | 7.1% | 1951 | $1,785 | 52.7% | 94.6% | 4.1% |
| St. Johns | 3.12 | 31.0 | 13.0% | 44.7% | 4.2% | 1973 | $1,643 | 25.4% | 78.3% | 4.2% |
| Cathedral Park | 1.97 | 39.9 | 7.5% | 44.0% | 2.6% | 1965 | $1,729 | 54.2% | 96.4% | 5.3% |
| Arbor Lodge | 2.29 | 38.1 | 10.3% | 31.7% | 3.1% | 1942 | $1,980 | 62.0% | 97.1% | 4.1% |
| Overlook | 2.19 | 38.6 | 5.8% | 40.5% | 5.3% | 1952 | $1,907 | 67.4% | 96.8% | 3.3% |
| Woodlawn | 2.11 | 39.2 | 7.6% | 45.0% | 5.2% | 1947 | $1,699 | 54.8% | 95.6% | 8.4% |
| Bridgeton | 2.54 | 38.2 | 15.4% | 44.9% | 9.1% | 1989 | $1,770 | 37.3% | 89.5% | 3.2% |
| Boise | 1.85 | 36.1 | 8.6% | 68.9% | 8.3% | 1969 | $1,661 | 63.7% | 93.5% | 8.0% |
| Esther Short | 1.34 | 42.3 | 3.0% | 84.6% | 7.4% | 2008 | $1,729 | 43.0% | 95.0% | 3.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Capitol Hill, Salt Lake City, UT · Center, Portland, OR · Faneuil, Brighton, MA · City Center West, Philadelphia, PA · Clark-Fulton, Cleveland, OH · Concordia, Portland, OR · Airport, Riverside, CA · Downtown St. Paul, St. Paul, MN · East Rock, New Haven, CT · Downtown Pasadena, Pasadena, 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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