Violent
Property
Total
Quick answer
According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI crime data, Portsmouth, VA has a Safety Score of 5/100 — higher crime than 95% of US cities — with a total crime rate of 4,613.2 per 100,000 residents, ranking #2,808 of 2,957 US cities and #37 of 38 in Virginia.
Quiz: which of these is MORE DANGEROUS than Portsmouth, VA?
Safety Score
Violent Crime Rate
Property Crime Rate
Is Portsmouth, Virginia Safe?
Portsmouth, Virginia, established in 1752, sits across the Elizabeth River from Norfolk. Home to the historic Gosport Shipyard, it's a diverse city with a significant African American population.
Portsmouth has a safety score of 5/100 (High Crime). Based on FBI data, the city reported a total crime rate of 4,613.2 per 100,000 residents, compared to the national average of 2,785.9 per 100,000.
Portsmouth ranks #37 out of 38 cities in Virginia and #2808 out of 2957 nationally (safest first). This places it in the 5th percentile for safety — with higher crime than 95% of US cities.
The most elevated crime category in Portsmouth is murder, at 37.1 per 100K — 5.9x the national average.
Year over year, Portsmouth's total crime rate decreased by 14.4%, with violent crime declining 8.9%.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Portsmouth Crime Statistics Breakdown
| Crime Type | Incidents | Rate per 100K | National Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime | 731 | 752.4 | 478.2 |
| Murder | 36 | 37.1 | 6.3 |
| Rape | 35 | 36.0 | 43.8 |
| Robbery | 163 | 167.8 | 94.0 |
| Aggravated Assault | 497 | 511.6 | 333.5 |
| Property Crime | 3,751 | 3,860.8 | 2,307.7 |
| Burglary | 412 | 424.1 | 292.0 |
| Larceny-Theft | 2,837 | 2,920.1 | 1,657.7 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 502 | 516.7 | 358.0 |
| Arson | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Portsmouth vs Virginia Average
How does Portsmouth's crime rate compare to the Virginia state average?
| Metric | Portsmouth | Virginia Avg | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime Rate | 752.4 | 338.9 | +122.0% |
| Property Crime Rate | 3,860.8 | 2,386.6 | +61.8% |
| Murder Rate | 37.1 | 9.8 | +277.7% |
| Total Crime Rate | 4,613.2 | 2,725.5 | +69.3% |
Portsmouth Crime Rate Trends
Year-over-year crime rate changes for Portsmouth, Virginia.
| Year | Coverage | Total Crime Rate | Violent Crime Rate | Property Crime Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 97,156 | 4,613.2 | 752.4 | 3,860.8 |
| 2023 | 96,649 | 5,390.6 | 825.7 | 4,565.0 |
| 2022 | 98,003 | 5,767.2 | 875.5 | 4,891.7 |
| 2021 | 94,943 | 4,607.0 | 767.8 | 3,839.2 |
| 2020 | 94,205 | 5,480.6 | 922.5 | 4,558.1 |
| 2019 | 93,991 | 6,807.0 | 945.8 | 5,861.2 |
Portsmouth Crime Map — Surrounding Area
City-level crime rates from FBI data for Portsmouth and nearby cities — green is safer, red is higher-crime; circle size is population. Not an incident-level map. Full state view: Virginia crime map.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Portsmouth, Virginia safe?
Portsmouth has a safety score of 5/100, meaning it has less crime than about 5% of US cities in our FBI dataset. With a total crime rate of 4,613.2 per 100,000 residents in 2024, Portsmouth is among the highest-crime US cities.
What is the crime rate in Portsmouth, Virginia?
According to FBI data for 2024, Portsmouth has a violent crime rate of 752.4 per 100,000 and a property crime rate of 3,860.8 per 100,000 residents.
How does Portsmouth compare to the national average?
Portsmouth's total crime rate of 4,613.2 per 100,000 can be compared to the national average. The data covers 97,156 residents.
What types of crime are most common in Portsmouth?
Based on FBI 2024 data, the most reported crimes in Portsmouth are larceny-theft (2,837 reported incidents) and motor vehicle theft (502 reported incidents). Property crime outnumbers violent crime 5.1x in the city.
Is Portsmouth safe to visit?
Like any city, Portsmouth has areas that are safer than others. The city's overall safety score is 5/100 based on FBI crime data. Standard travel precautions are recommended.