Suffolk, VA

Census place 5176432 · pop 98,796

D55/ 100
😐 Meh
C
in VA
📍 Virginia ranks #14 of 50 states →
🏆 Bad air0 days · top 15%
🚽 Obesity42.4% · bottom 9%
💡 Did you know?

Home of Planters Peanuts and Mr. Peanut, earning it the nickname the 'Peanut Capital of the World.'

Source ↗
Taxes
0.93% property · US 0.99%5.77% sales · US 7.00%up to 5.75% income · US 4.63%

Sales & income are statewide.

The breakdown — worst first

Adult obesity42.4%9

U.S. median 36.5% · worse than most cities

42.4% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).

Commute time30 min16

U.S. median 24 min · worse than most cities

30 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.

Housing cost$347,40038

U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities

$347,400 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.

Rent$1,917/mo39

U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities

$1,917/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).

Broadband access90.2%39

U.S. median 90.0% · worse than most cities

90.2% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Physical inactivity26.1%44

U.S. median 26.5% · worse than most cities

26.1% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.

Adult smoking13.4%48

U.S. median 14.6% · worse than most cities

13.4% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.

Income inequality0.4350

U.S. median 0.43 · better than most cities

Gini 0.43 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).

Poor mental health17.0%52

U.S. median 17.4% · better than most cities

17.0% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).

Property-tax burden0.93%53

U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities

0.93% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.

Bachelor's degree or higher33.3%56

U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities

33.3% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.

Poverty rate9.4%61

U.S. median 12.1% · better than most cities

9.4% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.

Uninsured adults8.4%62

U.S. median 9.3% · better than most cities

8.4% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.

Natural disaster riskCounty-level81/10062

U.S. median 77/100 · better than most cities

81/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Homeownership70.7%68

U.S. median 67.2% · better than most cities

70.7% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.

Median household income$92,66670

U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities

$92,666 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.

Population growth (5yr)+9.7%80

U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities

+9.7% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?

Air quality (AQI)County-level37 AQI81

U.S. median 42 AQI · better than most cities

37 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Unemployment rateCounty-level2.9%83

U.S. median 3.6% · better than most cities

2.9% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Unhealthy air daysCounty-level0 days85

U.S. median 1 days · better than most cities

0 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Not measured for Suffolk: Crime, Property crime. Not every public source covers every city — EPA air monitors and Zillow rent only reach some places, and national crime data is still being added.

Frequently asked

Is Suffolk, VA a good place to live?
By the numbers, Suffolk scores 55/100 — a D (Meh) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 20 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is unhealthy air days and its weakest is adult obesity. Virginia overall ranks #14 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
Is Suffolk, VA expensive to live in?
Suffolk has a median home value of $347,400 and typical rent around $1,917/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
What's the biggest downside of living in Suffolk, VA?
Its weakest measured area is adult obesity (42.4%) — 9/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
What is Suffolk, VA best at?
Its strongest measured area is unhealthy air days (0 days) — 85/100, better than most U.S. cities. (A county-level figure.) Fun fact: Home of Planters Peanuts and Mr. Peanut, earning it the nickname the 'Peanut Capital of the World.'

Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.