Poquoson receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Hampton
Poquoson
Opportunity
40 · Bottom 18%
vs62 · Top 38%
Growth
29 · Bottom 15%
vs57 · Top 37%
Climate
79 · Top 19%
vs79 · Top 19%
Physical resilience
92 · Top 9%
vs47 · Bottom 37%
Housing affordability
79 · Bottom 47%
vs97 · Top 16%
Schools
59 · Top 40%
vs90 · Top 4%
Access
93 · Top 45%
vs94 · Top 41%
Economic stability
56 · Bottom 41%
vs73 · Top 21%
Measured values
| Metric | Hampton | Poquoson | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 137,557 | 12,639 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $69,621 | $120,972 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $37,706 | $51,194 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,673/sq mi | 823/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $245,700 | $400,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,427 | $1,707 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 56.9% | 84.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% | 3.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.0% | -2.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.5% | 36.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.7% | 4.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 67 | 88 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.5 | 7.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -24.7% | -5.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 87°F | 87°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 32°F | 32°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 47.8" | 47.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 12 mi | 10 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.1 min | 29.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.8 | 41.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 37 | 4 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.09 | 14.30 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 62.1% | 81.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 67.5% | 86.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 88.7% | 23.7% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Hampton
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, coastal flooding.
Poquoson
Elevated or high exposure: coastal flooding, hurricane.
Full profiles: Hampton, VA · Poquoson, VA · How this is calculated: methodology