The typical owner-occupied home in Portsmouth city is worth about $246,900, 36% below the Virginia median of $383,700 and 26% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $2,557 a year in property taxes, about 1.04% of their home's value, higher than the Virginia rate of 0.73%. The median household earns $60,491 a year, so the median home costs 4.1 times the median income (4.1 times for Virginia). 58% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 71% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Portsmouth city at a glance
| Portsmouth city | Virginia | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $246,900 | $383,700 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $2,557 | $2,790 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 1.04% | 0.73% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $60,491 | $93,170 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 58% | 67% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 71% | 67% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $1,752 | $2,127 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 25.8% | 20.1% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $1,300 | $1,579 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 35.4% | 29.4% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1967 | 1984 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 7.0% | 8.7% | 10.1% |
| Population | 97,190 | 8,705,170 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Portsmouth city
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Portsmouth city home of $246,900 with 20% down costs about $1,646 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $2,057, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.
Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $70,525 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 33% of the median Portsmouth city household income of $60,491; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $212,000.
The median rent here is $1,300 a month, so owning the median home costs about $346 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $49,380 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $197,520 |
| Principal and interest | $1,329 |
| Property taxes (1.04% a year) | $214 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $103 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $1,646 |
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| Down payment | $8,642 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $242,428 |
| Principal and interest | $1,631 |
| Property taxes (1.04% a year) | $214 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $103 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $109 |
| Total per month | $2,057 |
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Questions about home buying in Portsmouth city
What is the median home value in Portsmouth city?
About $246,900 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Portsmouth city?
Homeowners pay a median $2,557 a year, which is about 1.04% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.
What income do you need to buy a home in Portsmouth city?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,646 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $70,525 a year.
More about Portsmouth city
- Mortgage Refinance in Portsmouth city
- Debt Relief in Portsmouth city
- Home Equity Loans in Portsmouth city
- Guides and quotes for mortgage refinance on our sister site, MortgageRefinance.com
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data