Population 456,349 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Virginia Beach City
Household size in Virginia Beach City
| Period | Virginia Beach City | Virginia Beach area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.67 | 2.64 | 2.63 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.70 | 2.66 | 2.68 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.65 | 2.61 | 2.68 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.60 | 2.54 | 2.62 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.07 | −0.10 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
At 2.60 people per household, Virginia Beach City sits close to the national average of 2.65. Since 2006–10, household size has edged down from 2.67, 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 Virginia Beach City
| Period | Virginia Beach City | Virginia Beach area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.6 | 37.0 | 38.2 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 37.2 | 37.6 | 39.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 38.4 | 38.6 | 40.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 39.4 | 39.2 | 40.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.8 | +2.2 | +2.1 | +2.3 |
At 39.4, the median age in Virginia Beach City 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 36.6, in line with the national trend.
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 Virginia Beach City
| Period | Virginia Beach City | Virginia Beach area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.2% | 13.7% | 11.1% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 12.6% | 13.6% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 12.0% | 12.9% | 10.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 12.2% | 12.9% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.0 pts | −0.7 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are about as common in Virginia Beach City as they are nationally: 12.2%, against 11.6%. Virginia Beach City has a higher share of single-parent households than most Virginia counties.
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 Virginia Beach City
Renters in Virginia Beach City
| Period | Virginia Beach City | Virginia Beach area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 33.5% | 35.1% | 31.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 35.9% | 37.6% | 33.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 36.3% | 38.4% | 33.7% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 34.9% | 36.6% | 32.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Just over a third of households in Virginia Beach City rent their homes (34.9%), close to the national share of 34.8%. Among homeowners, 26.5% have no mortgage at all, well below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is up 1.4 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 Virginia Beach City
| Period | Virginia Beach City | Virginia Beach area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.7% | 9.1% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 8.2% | 9.7% | 10.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.9% | 9.5% | 9.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.6% | 7.6% | 8.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.2 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in Virginia Beach City than nationally: 6.6%, against 9.6% for the U.S. Since 2006–10, vacancy has edged down 1.2 points, in line with the national trend. Virginia Beach City has a lower vacancy rate than at least four in five Virginia counties.
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 Virginia Beach City
| Period | Virginia Beach City | Virginia Beach area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1980 | 1977 | 1978 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1982 | 1979 | 1980 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1982 | 1980 | 1981 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1984 | 1982 | 1984 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +5 | +5 | +6 |
Homes in Virginia Beach City are a bit newer than the national norm: the median home was built in 1984, versus 1980 across the U.S. The median year built has moved up from 1980 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the southeast, the oldest in the center.
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 Virginia Beach City
| Period | Virginia Beach City | Virginia Beach area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,331 | $1,107 | $1,143 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,425 | $1,232 | $1,238 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,585 | $1,358 | $1,436 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,902 | $1,647 | $1,743 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$570 | +$540 | +$600 | +$606 |
The median renter in Virginia Beach City pays $1,902 a month for rent and utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $570 a month since 2006–10, up 43%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 32.3% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the east; the highest are in the north.
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 Virginia Beach City
Bachelor's degrees in Virginia Beach City
| Period | Virginia Beach City | Virginia Beach area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 31.3% | 27.5% | 35.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 33.1% | 28.9% | 36.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 35.5% | 32.0% | 39.3% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 40.7% | 35.4% | 42.5% | 35.6% |
| Change | +9.4 pts | +7.9 pts | +7.3 pts | +7.2 pts |
About four in ten adults 25 and older in Virginia Beach City (40.7%) 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 9.4 points, mirroring the country. College graduates are most concentrated in the northeast and least in the northwest.
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 Virginia Beach City
| Period | Virginia Beach City | Virginia Beach area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 92.3% | 88.9% | 86.8% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 93.3% | 90.0% | 88.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 93.5% | 91.5% | 89.9% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.7% | 92.8% | 91.6% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.3 pts | +3.9 pts | +4.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Virginia Beach City: 94.7% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 2.3 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Few Virginia counties have a higher share of high school graduates: only eight of 133.
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 Virginia Beach City
| Period | Virginia Beach City | Virginia Beach area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.4% | 6.5% | 6.0% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.1% | 8.2% | 7.0% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.5% | 5.6% | 4.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.8% | 4.9% | 4.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.5 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been easier to find in Virginia Beach City than nationally: unemployment was 3.8%, against 5.4%. Unemployment is down 1.5 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current 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).
Virginia Beach City compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach City | 2.60 | 39.4 | 12.2% | 34.9% | 6.6% | 1984 | $1,902 | 40.7% | 94.7% | 3.8% |
| Norfolk City | 2.39 | 35.3 | 15.4% | 53.7% | 9.2% | 1967 | $1,441 | 32.4% | 90.7% | 6.2% |
| Chesapeake City | 2.73 | 38.9 | 12.7% | 25.6% | 4.7% | 1989 | $1,815 | 36.7% | 94.2% | 4.7% |
| Portsmouth City | 2.40 | 37.4 | 18.8% | 42.1% | 7.8% | 1968 | $1,420 | 24.0% | 88.8% | 6.8% |
| Suffolk City | 2.64 | 39.4 | 13.3% | 29.3% | 7.6% | 1992 | $1,673 | 33.5% | 91.3% | 5.1% |
| Isle of Wight County | 2.55 | 44.0 | 7.3% | 19.9% | 8.1% | 1994 | $1,339 | 31.3% | 92.0% | 4.1% |
| Southampton County | 2.38 | 47.8 | 10.1% | 23.9% | 10.6% | 1983 | $1,018 | 20.3% | 87.8% | 5.6% |
| Sussex County | 2.37 | 41.8 | 14.7% | 30.3% | 19.9% | 1983 | $913 | 16.6% | 83.9% | 3.9% |
| Greensville County | 2.57 | 41.9 | 22.4% | 33.7% | 19.6% | 1982 | $1,024 | 16.3% | 81.5% | 5.8% |
| Brunswick County | 2.16 | 45.7 | 17.4% | 25.6% | 18.8% | 1980 | $954 | 16.9% | 82.9% | 3.7% |
| Lunenburg County | 2.39 | 43.7 | 10.3% | 28.5% | 18.1% | 1972 | $802 | 12.5% | 80.4% | 3.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Anoka County, MN · Mercer County, NJ · Ramsey County, MN · Osceola County, FL · Orleans Parish, LA · Onondaga County, NY · Morris County, NJ · Montgomery County, OH · Monterey County, CA · Mobile County, AL
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 Virginia Beach City. 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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