Suffolk receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Hampton
Suffolk
Opportunity
40 · Bottom 18%
vs52 · Bottom 41%
Growth
29 · Bottom 15%
vs62 · Top 30%
Climate
79 · Top 19%
vs76 · Top 26%
Physical resilience
92 · Top 9%
vs76 · Top 29%
Housing affordability
79 · Bottom 47%
vs86 · Top 40%
Schools
59 · Top 40%
vs41 · Bottom 37%
Access
93 · Top 45%
vs81 · Bottom 24%
Economic stability
56 · Bottom 41%
vs62 · Top 46%
Measured values
| Metric | Hampton | Suffolk | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 137,557 | 98,796 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $69,621 | $92,666 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $37,706 | $45,819 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,673/sq mi | 248/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $245,700 | $347,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,427 | $1,563 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 56.9% | 70.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% | 4.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.0% | -1.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.5% | 33.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.7% | 9.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 67 | 608 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.5 | 6.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -24.7% | -9.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 87°F | 89°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 32°F | 34°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 47.8" | 45.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 12 mi | 31 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.1 min | 32.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.8 | 38.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 37 | 22 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.09 | 15.19 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 62.1% | 41.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 67.5% | 66.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 88.7% | 68.9% | 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.
Suffolk
Elevated or high exposure: drought, hurricane.
Full profiles: Hampton, VA · Suffolk, VA · How this is calculated: methodology