Portsmouth, VA · standard
ZIP Code 23704
Portsmouth County, Virginia — Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 18,716
- 1,420/sq mi
- $49,583
- Median income
- $230,300
- Median home value
- 24.9%
- Bachelor's or higher
The verdict
Portsmouth pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with above-median home values, in a low-density, mixed-tenure area.
- 14th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 48%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 1,420
- people per sq mi
- 40%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 23704 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 23704 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 13.2 square miles in Portsmouth, Portsmouth County, Virginia. The area is home to 18,716 residents, producing a population density of 1,420 people per square mile, and falls within the New York time zone. These USPS and Census boundary values drive every downstream statistic on this page, including the benchmarks that compare 23704 against Virginia and the nation.
On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 23704 sits at $49,583 (42% below the Virginia average), while per-capita income is $33,101. The poverty rate stands at 23.6% and the unemployment rate at 8.0%. On housing, the median home value is $230,300 (31% below the state average) with median rent at $1,310 per month, and 40.2% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 23704 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.
Education and household profile round out the picture: 24.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 35.9, and the average commute is 24 minutes. We also surface 10 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Portsmouth County, so you can benchmark 23704 against its immediate geography rather than a national average alone. Every figure is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, HUD Fair Market Rents, and FHFA Home Price Index data, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with HUD →
Top industries in ZIP 23704
Top 5 sectors by establishment count
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 23704.
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
76 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
56 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
49 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
46 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
41 establishments
What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + HUD FMR + FHFA HPI ACS demographics, ZBP business establishments, HUD Fair Market Rents, FHFA HPI for ZIP 23704, Portsmouth, VA · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; HUD FMR + FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.
Quick Facts
18,716
Population
13.2
Area (sq mi)
1,420
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 23704?
35.9
Median Age
47.2%
Male
52.8%
Female
1.9%
Foreign-Born
Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
How much do residents earn?
$49,583
Median Household Income
-42% vs state
$33,101
Per Capita Income
23.6%
Poverty Rate
8.0%
Unemployment Rate
23.8 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 23704 ranks nationally
Household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income — the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$49,583 14th percentile higher than 14% of 30,318 US ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Census Bureau — ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What is the education profile here?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
9,658
Total Housing Units
8,658
Occupied Units
1,000
Vacant Units
2.14
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$230,300
Median Home Value
-31% vs state
$1,310
Median Rent
1963
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
How have home values changed over time?
FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals
+7.8%
YoY Change (2024)
279
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+179%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 23704 have increased 7.8% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +179% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +9.6% | 188 |
| 2021 | +17.0% | 219 |
| 2022 | +6.3% | 233 |
| 2023 | +10.9% | 259 |
| 2024 | +7.8% | 279 |
Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 404 business establishments in ZIP 23704, employing approximately 5,305 people with a combined annual payroll of $282,492,000.
404
Businesses
5,305
Employees
$282.5M
Annual Payroll
13
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 76 | 18.8% |
| Retail trade | 56 | 13.9% |
| Accommodation and food services | 49 | 12.1% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 46 | 11.4% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 41 | 10.2% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 28 | 6.9% |
| Construction | 19 | 4.7% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 18 | 4.5% |
| Manufacturing | 17 | 4.2% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 14 | 3.5% |
| Finance and insurance | 13 | 3.2% |
| Wholesale trade | 12 | 3.0% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 10 | 2.5% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.
Nearby ZIP Codes
Want a side-by-side? Compare 23704 vs 23709 →
ZIP 23704 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 23507
Norfolk (23507)
25,818 residents
- 23324
Chesapeake (23324)
22,851 residents
- 23508
Norfolk (23508)
20,263 residents
- 23704
Portsmouth (23704)
18,716 residents
- 23707
Portsmouth (23707)
14,236 residents
- 23702
Portsmouth (23702)
11,424 residents
- 23523 7,793
Norfolk (23523)
7,793 residents
- 23510 7,031
Norfolk (23510)
7,031 residents
- 23517 4,484
Norfolk (23517)
4,484 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 23704 ranks #4 by population — useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 23704 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 23507
Norfolk (23507)
$104,295 median income
- 23508
Norfolk (23508)
$74,885 median income
- 23510
Norfolk (23510)
$73,524 median income
- 23517
Norfolk (23517)
$67,375 median income
- 23324
Chesapeake (23324)
$57,045 median income
- 23704
Portsmouth (23704)
$49,583 median income
- 23707
Portsmouth (23707)
$48,926 median income
- 23702
Portsmouth (23702)
$48,835 median income
- 23523 $35,533
Norfolk (23523)
$35,533 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 23704 ranks #6 of 9 neighboring ZIPs — local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23709 | Portsmouth, VA | 78 | 0.8 mi |
| 23708 | Portsmouth, VA | 181 | 1.7 mi |
| 23702 | Portsmouth, VA | 11,424 | 1.8 mi |
| 23510 | Norfolk, VA | 7,031 | 2.2 mi |
| 23523 | Norfolk, VA | 7,793 | 2.2 mi |
| 23507 | Norfolk, VA | 25,818 | 2.8 mi |
| 23707 | Portsmouth, VA | 14,236 | 2.1 mi |
| 23324 | Chesapeake, VA | 22,851 | 2.6 mi |
| 23508 | Norfolk, VA | 20,263 | 4.2 mi |
| 23517 | Norfolk, VA | 4,484 | 3.3 mi |
More ZIP Codes in Portsmouth County
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Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 23704 in? ▼
What is the population of ZIP code 23704? ▼
What is the median household income in ZIP 23704? ▼
What is the average home value in ZIP 23704? ▼
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 23704? ▼
How many businesses are in ZIP code 23704? ▼
What are the main industries in ZIP code 23704? ▼
How have home values changed in ZIP code 23704? ▼
What is the education level in ZIP code 23704? ▼
What is the average commute time in ZIP 23704? ▼
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 23704? ▼
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 23704? ▼
ZIP Code Research Guides
Official Data Resources for Portsmouth, VA
Verify and explore additional data for this area using these official government sources.
Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.