Poquoson receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Suffolk
Poquoson
Opportunity
52 · Bottom 41%
vs62 · Top 38%
Growth
62 · Top 30%
vs57 · Top 37%
Climate
76 · Top 26%
vs79 · Top 19%
Physical resilience
76 · Top 29%
vs47 · Bottom 37%
Housing affordability
86 · Top 40%
vs97 · Top 16%
Schools
41 · Bottom 37%
vs90 · Top 4%
Access
81 · Bottom 24%
vs94 · Top 41%
Economic stability
62 · Top 46%
vs73 · Top 21%
Measured values
| Metric | Suffolk | Poquoson | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 98,796 | 12,639 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $92,666 | $120,972 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $45,819 | $51,194 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 248/sq mi | 823/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $347,400 | $400,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,563 | $1,707 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 70.7% | 84.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 3.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.9% | -2.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33.3% | 36.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.4% | 4.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 608 | 88 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 6.2 | 7.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -9.5% | -5.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 89°F | 87°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 34°F | 32°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 45.7" | 47.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 31 mi | 10 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 32.7 min | 29.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.7 | 41.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 22 | 4 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.19 | 14.30 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 41.5% | 81.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 66.1% | 86.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 68.9% | 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
Suffolk
Elevated or high exposure: drought, hurricane.
Poquoson
Elevated or high exposure: coastal flooding, hurricane.
Full profiles: Suffolk, VA · Poquoson, VA · How this is calculated: methodology