Portsmouth City County

Key demographics — Portsmouth City (independent city/county-equivalent), Virginia

Population size

• 97,915 (2020 Census)
• ~97.5K (2023 Census Bureau estimate)

Age

• Under 5: ~6%
• Under 18: ~22%
• 65 and over: ~15%
• Median age: ~37 years

Gender

• Female: ~52–53%
• Male: ~47–48%

Racial/ethnic composition (percent of total population)

• Black or African American (alone): ~54–55%
• White (alone): ~36–37%
• Two or more races: ~6%
• Asian (alone): ~2%
• American Indian/Alaska Native (alone): ~0.5%
• Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander (alone): ~0.1%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~6–7%
• White alone, not Hispanic or Latino: ~35%

Household data

• Households: ~39–40K
• Persons per household (avg): ~2.45–2.50
• Owner-occupied housing unit rate: ~54%
• Housing units: ~43–44K

Insights

• Portsmouth is a majority-Black city with a modestly higher female share and a median age in the high 30s. Household size is typical for the region, and homeownership is just over half of occupied units.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; 2023 Population Estimates Program; 2019–2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates; QuickFacts). Figures rounded for clarity; use ACS 2019–2023 for detailed cross-tabs.

Portsmouth City (Portsmouth City County), VA snapshot

• Population: 97,915; density ≈2,900 per sq mi (2020 Census).
• Digital access: 91% of households have a computer and 85% have a broadband subscription (ACS 2018–2022).

Estimated email users: ~76,000 residents (≈77% of total population), derived by applying age-specific U.S. email adoption rates to Portsmouth’s age structure.

Age distribution of email users (share of all email users):

• 13–17: 6.6%
• 18–34: 33.2%
• 35–49: 24.3%
• 50–64: 21.0%
• 65+: 14.9%

Gender split among email users: ≈53% female, 47% male, mirroring the city’s population.

Digital access trends and local connectivity

• Household broadband non-subscription is about 15%, indicating a persistent affordability/access gap in some neighborhoods.
• The city benefits from Hampton Roads’ dense regional fiber infrastructure and proximity to Virginia Beach subsea cable landings, supporting strong backbone connectivity.
• Urban density and multi-ISP presence enable broad cable/fiber and 4G/5G coverage, supporting high email engagement, especially among working-age adults.

Insights: Email usage is effectively universal among adults under 50 and strong among seniors where broadband is present; closing the ~15% household non-subscription gap would lift total email reach beyond 80% of residents.

Portsmouth City (county-equivalent), Virginia — mobile usage summary with local estimates, demographic context, and infrastructure notes, highlighting how the city differs from statewide patterns.

Population and household base (2023)

• Residents: ~97,000; land area ~14.7 sq mi; density ~6,500/sq mi.
• Households: ~39,000.
• Median household income: ~$56,000 (Virginia: ~$90,000).
• Age: median ~36; 65+ share smaller than Virginia.
• Race/ethnicity: ~55% Black, ~37% White, ~6–7% Hispanic/Latino, ~2% Asian, remainder multiracial/other.
• Housing: ~52% renter-occupied (Virginia ~34%).

Mobile users and device adoption (estimates for 2024–2025)

• Unique human mobile users (residents age 13+ with an active mobile phone): ~82,000–85,000 (≈85–88% of total population).
• Smartphone users (age 13+): ~75,000–78,000 (≈90–92% of 13+), slightly above statewide among younger adults, slightly below among seniors.
• 5G-capable handsets in use: ~55,000–58,000 (≈72–75% of smartphones), a few points below Virginia overall due to device replacement cycles lagging in lower-income segments.
• Prepaid vs. postpaid: prepaid ≈26–30% of active smartphone lines locally (Virginia ≈20–22%); implied prepaid users ~20,000–23,000.
• Average mobile data use per smartphone: ~25–30 GB/month (Virginia ≈22–26 GB), reflecting higher smartphone-only internet reliance.

Connectivity and reliance on mobile

• Wireless-only voice households (no landline): ~74–78% of adults live in wireless-only households, on par with or slightly above Virginia.
• Home internet subscription (ACS-based, latest available):
  • Any broadband subscription: ~82–84% of households (Virginia ~89–90%).
  • Smartphone with a cellular data plan: ~90–93% of households.
  • Cellular-only home internet (has a cellular data plan but no cable/DSL/fiber): ~13–16% (Virginia ~8–10%).
  • No home internet subscription: ~15–18% (Virginia ~9–11%).
• Smartphone-only internet users (no home fixed broadband among adults who use the internet): ~21–24% locally vs. ~15–17% statewide.

Demographic patterns in mobile usage (local deviations vs. Virginia)

• Age: 18–34 population share is higher; smartphone ownership ≈97–99% in this group and heavy 5G use. Seniors (65+) lag state by several points in smartphone adoption, raising intra-city digital gaps.
• Income: Below-median incomes and higher renter share correlate with:
  • Greater prepaid adoption and price-sensitive plans.
  • Higher smartphone-only and cellular-only home internet rates.
  • Slower upgrade cycles to 5G-capable devices.
• Race/ethnicity: With a majority-Black population, smartphone adoption is high, but device age and plan types skew toward value/prepaid more than the state average, reinforcing mobile-first behavior.
• Housing tenure: Renters (majority) exhibit higher reliance on mobile data for home connectivity than owners, contributing to above-state cellular-only rates.

Digital infrastructure and performance

• 5G availability: All three national carriers provide 5G across the city; mid-band 5G (C-band and/or n41) is present along primary corridors and commercial zones, delivering typical median downloads well above LTE.
• Backhaul and regional fiber: The Hampton Roads metro has strong regional fiber and proximity to Virginia Beach subsea cable landings and Northern Virginia internet hubs, supporting robust backhaul for macro and small-cell sites.
• Small cells and densification: Densification is evident near downtown, port/shipyard-adjacent areas, and along I-264/VA-164 corridors to bolster mid-band 5G and in-building coverage.
• Public safety and resilience: FirstNet (AT&T) coverage and carrier hardening for coastal storms are material; temporary assets (COWs/COLTs) are deployed during major events to sustain capacity.
• Coverage caveats: Older masonry buildings and some waterfront industrial areas can experience indoor attenuation; carriers mitigate with mid-band densification and Wi‑Fi offload.

What’s notably different from Virginia overall

• Higher mobile dependence: Portsmouth has lower fixed-broadband subscription rates, higher cellular-only home internet, and more smartphone-only users than the state average.
• More prepaid and value plans: A larger share of prepaid subscribers and slower device-refresh cycles compared with statewide norms.
• Younger, renter-heavy base: Drives near-universal smartphone adoption among younger cohorts and heavier mobile data consumption, but also widens the gap with seniors and fixed broadband adoption.
• Infrastructure is strong but usage outpaces wireline adoption: Despite competitive 5G capacity and good backhaul, fixed broadband take-up lags, making mobile the primary on-ramp for a larger slice of households than elsewhere in Virginia.

Key quantitative takeaways (local, with statewide comparison)

• Smartphone users: ~75k–78k (Portsmouth) vs. ~90–92% of adults statewide as a rate; younger cohorts locally exceed state levels.
• 5G-capable devices: ~72–75% of smartphones locally vs. ~76–80% statewide.
• Prepaid share: ~26–30% local vs. ~20–22% statewide.
• Cellular-only home internet: ~13–16% local vs. ~8–10% statewide.
• No home internet: ~15–18% local vs. ~9–11% statewide.
• Average mobile data per smartphone: ~25–30 GB/month local vs. ~22–26 GB statewide.

Notes on sources and estimation

• Demographics and home-internet subscription levels reflect the most recent American Community Survey patterns for Portsmouth and Virginia.
• Mobile adoption, wireless-only telephony, smartphone-only internet use, prepaid mix, 5G-capable share, and data-usage figures are derived from national/state benchmarks (Pew, NHIS, CTIA, operator disclosures, and market analytics) adjusted to Portsmouth’s age, income, and housing profile to produce city-level estimates.

Social media usage in Portsmouth City (Portsmouth City County), Virginia — 2025 snapshot (modeled from the 2023 ACS population profile and 2024 Pew Research Center adoption rates)

Population baseline

• Total population: ~97,900
• Adults (18+): ~77,350 (≈79% of residents)
• Gender: ~52.7% female, ~47.3% male

Overall penetration

• Estimated adults using at least one major social platform: ~64,000 (≈83% of adults)

Most-used platforms among adults (share of adults; estimated local user counts)

• YouTube: ~83% ≈ 64,200 users
• Facebook: ~68% ≈ 52,600
• Instagram: ~47% ≈ 36,400
• Pinterest: ~35% ≈ 27,100
• TikTok: ~33% ≈ 25,500
• LinkedIn: 30% ≈ 23,200 Also notable: Snapchat ~27% (20,900); X/Twitter 22% (17,000); Reddit 22% (17,000); WhatsApp 21% (16,200); Nextdoor 20% (15,500)

Age groups (local adult mix and typical platform usage)

• Local adult age mix (approx.): 18–29 ≈ 22% of adults; 30–49 ≈ 33%; 50–64 ≈ 24%; 65+ ≈ 22%
• 18–29: Very high use of YouTube (93%); Instagram (78%); Snapchat (65%); TikTok (62%); Facebook (~58%)
• 30–49: YouTube (92%); Facebook (78%); Instagram (53%); TikTok (39%); Snapchat (24%); LinkedIn (40%)
• 50–64: YouTube (83%); Facebook (73%); Instagram (29%); TikTok (24%); Nextdoor ~20–25%
• 65+: Facebook (65%); YouTube (60%); Instagram (15%); TikTok (10%); Nextdoor ~20%

Gender breakdown (modeled)

• Overall social media user base roughly mirrors Portsmouth’s adult gender split: about 53% female, 47% male
• Platform skews:
  • More female: Facebook (slight), Instagram (slight), Pinterest (women ≈2x men)
  • More male: Reddit and X/Twitter (men modestly more likely)
  • Broadly even: YouTube, WhatsApp, LinkedIn

Behavioral trends in Portsmouth

• Facebook is the community hub: city updates, schools, churches, civic groups, events, Marketplace buying/selling, and local business discovery
• Short‑form video is surging: local restaurants, retail, and events gain outsized reach via Instagram Reels and TikTok; cross‑posting to Facebook Reels increases coverage among 30–64
• Nextdoor is strong in homeowner and neighborhood coordination: safety alerts, city services, and hyperlocal recommendations skew to 50+
• YouTube is the utility platform across ages: how‑to, DIY/home maintenance, auto, and local government informational videos see consistent watch time
• Messaging is central to coordination: Facebook Messenger is ubiquitous; WhatsApp use is meaningful for international ties and multi‑site workforces in the region
• Engagement timing: evenings and weekends show the highest local interaction; short, mobile‑first video and clear calls to action outperform static posts

Method note

• Figures are modeled for Portsmouth City adults by applying Pew Research Center’s 2024 U.S. adult platform adoption rates to the city’s 2023 ACS demographic profile; counts are rounded to the nearest hundred

Sources

• U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 American Community Survey (Portsmouth city, Virginia)
• Pew Research Center, Social Media Use in 2024 (adult platform adoption by age and gender)