Poquoson receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Poquoson
Chesapeake
Opportunity
62 · Top 38%
vs54 · Bottom 44%
Growth
57 · Top 37%
vs65 · Top 25%
Climate
79 · Top 19%
vs71 · Top 46%
Physical resilience
47 · Bottom 37%
vs77 · Top 28%
Housing affordability
97 · Top 16%
vs85 · Top 43%
Schools
90 · Top 4%
vs62 · Top 37%
Access
94 · Top 41%
vs80 · Bottom 22%
Economic stability
73 · Top 21%
vs68 · Top 35%
Measured values
| Metric | Poquoson | Chesapeake | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,639 | 252,583 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $120,972 | $95,373 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $51,194 | $44,985 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 823/sq mi | 746/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $400,300 | $378,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,707 | $1,586 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 84.6% | 74.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.5% | 3.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.0% | -2.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 36.3% | 36.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 4.5% | 9.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 88 | 1,476 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 7.0 | 5.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -5.4% | 116.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 87°F | 93°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 32°F | 34°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 47.8" | 48.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 10 mi | 33 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.6 min | 27.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.2 | 37.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 4 | 50 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.30 | 14.16 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 81.4% | 61.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 86.9% | 72.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 23.7% | 49.1% | 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
Poquoson
Elevated or high exposure: coastal flooding, hurricane.
Chesapeake
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Poquoson
75
Your Score
71
Area Score
Chesapeake
70
Your Score
68
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Poquoson, VA · Chesapeake, VA · How this is calculated: methodology