Population 98,733 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Suffolk
Household size in Suffolk
| Period | Suffolk | Virginia Beach area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.73 | 2.64 | 2.63 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.76 | 2.66 | 2.68 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.68 | 2.61 | 2.68 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.64 | 2.54 | 2.62 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.09 | −0.10 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Suffolk average 2.64 people, about the same as the country as a whole (2.65). The typical household here is bigger than in the Virginia Beach area overall, where it has 2.54 people. Since 2006–10, household size has edged down from 2.73, as it has nationally.
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 Suffolk
| Period | Suffolk | Virginia Beach area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.9 | 37.0 | 38.2 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 38.8 | 37.6 | 39.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 39.6 | 38.6 | 40.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 39.4 | 39.2 | 40.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.5 | +2.2 | +2.1 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Suffolk are younger than 39.4 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 37.9, in line with the national trend. The youngest areas are in the east, the oldest in the southwest.
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 Suffolk
| Period | Suffolk | Virginia Beach area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.5% | 13.7% | 11.1% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 14.7% | 13.6% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 13.1% | 12.9% | 10.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 13.3% | 12.9% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.1 pts | −0.7 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are a bit more common in Suffolk than nationally: 13.3%, against 11.6%. The Virginia Beach area as a whole looks much the same. The single-parent share is down 2.1 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than 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 Suffolk
Renters in Suffolk
| Period | Suffolk | Virginia Beach area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 24.9% | 35.1% | 31.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 28.4% | 37.6% | 33.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 31.3% | 38.4% | 33.7% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 29.3% | 36.6% | 32.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | +4.4 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
About three in ten households in Suffolk rent their homes (29.3%), a little below the national share of 34.8%; the rest own. Among homeowners, 25.4% have no mortgage at all, well below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is up 4.4 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Suffolk
| Period | Suffolk | Virginia Beach area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.0% | 9.1% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 9.1% | 9.7% | 10.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.0% | 9.5% | 9.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 7.6% | 7.6% | 8.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.4 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in Suffolk than nationally: 7.6%, against 9.6% for the U.S. That is in line with the rest of the Virginia Beach area. Vacancy is down 1.4 points from 2006–10, as it has 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 Suffolk
| Period | Suffolk | Virginia Beach area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1985 | 1977 | 1978 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1985 | 1979 | 1980 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1987 | 1980 | 1981 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1992 | 1982 | 1984 | 1980 |
| Change | +7 | +5 | +5 | +6 |
Much of the housing in Suffolk is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 1992, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole. The median year built has moved up from 1985 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the northeast, while the south has the oldest housing.
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 Suffolk
| Period | Suffolk | Virginia Beach area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,035 | $1,107 | $1,143 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,178 | $1,232 | $1,238 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,392 | $1,358 | $1,436 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,673 | $1,647 | $1,743 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$638 | +$540 | +$600 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Suffolk costs $1,673 a month with utilities, above the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $638 a month from 2006–10, a 62% jump, roughly in step with the nation. The typical renter here spends 34.7% 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 south; 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 Suffolk
Bachelor's degrees in Suffolk
| Period | Suffolk | Virginia Beach area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 26.9% | 27.5% | 35.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 26.7% | 28.9% | 36.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 30.1% | 32.0% | 39.3% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 33.5% | 35.4% | 42.5% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.6 pts | +7.9 pts | +7.3 pts | +7.2 pts |
About a third of adults 25 and older in Suffolk (33.5%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, close to the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 6.6 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. College graduates are most concentrated in the northeast 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 Suffolk
| Period | Suffolk | Virginia Beach area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 85.5% | 88.9% | 86.8% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 87.4% | 90.0% | 88.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 89.9% | 91.5% | 89.9% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 91.3% | 92.8% | 91.6% | 89.3% |
| Change | +5.8 pts | +3.9 pts | +4.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
About nine in ten adults in Suffolk have finished high school (91.3%), a bit above the national rate of 89.3%. Still, the rate is lower than in the Virginia Beach area as a whole (92.8%). Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 5.8 points, 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 Suffolk
| Period | Suffolk | Virginia Beach area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.3% | 6.5% | 6.0% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.6% | 8.2% | 7.0% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.4% | 5.6% | 4.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.1% | 4.9% | 4.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.2 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Suffolk is close to the national rate: 5.1% of the labor force, against 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has edged down 1.2 points, as it has nationally. 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).
Suffolk 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suffolk | 2.64 | 39.4 | 13.3% | 29.3% | 7.6% | 1992 | $1,673 | 33.5% | 91.3% | 5.1% |
| Everets | 2.26 | 50.9 | 6.2% | 17.3% | 16.4% | 1986 | $1,257 | 23.4% | 96.2% | 1.1% |
| Longview | 2.36 | 51.5 | 4.2% | 10.5% | 10.0% | 1994 | $1,260 | 18.6% | 88.3% | 1.8% |
| 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% |
| Portsmouth | 2.40 | 37.4 | 18.8% | 42.1% | 7.8% | 1968 | $1,420 | 24.0% | 88.8% | 6.8% |
| Whitley | 2.71 | 42.5 | 8.9% | 13.9% | 23.1% | 1993 | $1,203 | 21.4% | 92.6% | 0.6% |
| Chesapeake | 2.73 | 38.9 | 12.8% | 25.7% | 4.7% | 1989 | $1,814 | 36.7% | 94.2% | 4.7% |
| Carrsville | 1.97 | 54.5 | 5.4% | 23.2% | 9.8% | 1975 | $1,243 | 23.3% | 88.8% | 0.2% |
| Zuni | 2.54 | 44.9 | 8.2% | 19.2% | 15.7% | 1986 | $1,210 | 19.8% | 84.9% | 0.8% |
| Norfolk | 2.40 | 35.2 | 15.5% | 53.8% | 9.1% | 1967 | $1,451 | 32.4% | 90.8% | 6.2% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Frederick, MD · Federal Way, WA · Fontana, CA · Franklin, TN · Fort Smith, AR · Fort Collins, CO · Flagstaff, AZ · Fredericksburg, VA · Framingham, MA · Fargo, ND
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 Suffolk. 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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