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Newport News vs Suffolk, VA: growth, jobs and income compared

Suffolk is growing while Newport News is shrinking: +1.6% vs −0.1% between 2024 and 2025. Newport News lost 171 residents and Suffolk gained 1,692 residents (Census Bureau population estimates).

Data as of 2025 · updated

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Side by side

Newport News vs Suffolk, VA side by side: public federal figures
MeasureNewport NewsSuffolk
Population2025183,230 Larger104,699
Population change2020–25−1.5%+10.4% Higher
Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents2025−7.112.8 Higher
Private-sector job growth2018–23+3.9%+20.8% Higher
Median household income2020–24$69,634$92,666 Higher
Unemployment rate20254.0%3.6% Lower
New homes permitted per 1,000 residents20250.75.6 Higher

The tag marks the stronger figure in each row: the higher one, or the lower one for the unemployment rate ("Larger" is only the head count). Changes compare the latest period with five years earlier. – means no figure, or a base too small for a change or rate (it would swing on a few people). A figure from another period shows its year and is left out of the comparison.

The two counties share a border, and both are part of the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC metro area.

Each county in full

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Questions

Is Newport News or Suffolk growing faster?

Suffolk is growing while Newport News is shrinking: +1.6% vs −0.1% between 2024 and 2025. Newport News lost 171 residents and Suffolk gained 1,692 residents (Census Bureau population estimates).

Which has the higher median household income, Newport News or Suffolk?

Suffolk: $92,666, against $69,634 in Newport News (American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–24).

Which has the lower unemployment rate, Newport News or Suffolk?

Suffolk: 3.6%, against 4.0% in Newport News (2025 annual average, BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics).

Where they rank in the state

More comparisons

Sources and method

Each number shows its own period. Changes compare the latest period with five years earlier (or the earliest period available). Beacon CRE last refreshed these figures on 2026-11-05. Figures come from public federal statistics and are informational only, not investment advice. Check the source before relying on a number. Methodology: how we compute every number. More on every layer: data sources and licences.