City safety & data profile

ChesapeakeVA

Q: What is the population of Chesapeake, VA?

Chesapeake, VA has a population of 235,429 people, located in Chesapeake city, Virginia.

Q: What is the median household income in Chesapeake?

The median household income in Chesapeake, VA is $95,373 per year, per the U.S. Census ACS. The poverty rate is 9.4%.

Q: What is the median home value in Chesapeake?

The median home value in Chesapeake, VA is $378,400. Median rent is $1,586/month.

Q: What are the top health concerns in Chesapeake?

The top health indicators in Chesapeake include Obesity (40.1%), Short Sleep Duration (38.8%), High Blood Pressure (36.5%). Data from CDC PLACES.

Q: How many hospitals are in Chesapeake?

Chesapeake has 1 hospital with an average rating of 3/5 stars. 1 have emergency departments.

Q: What is the median age in Chesapeake?

The median age in Chesapeake, VA is 37.9 years. 36.9% of residents have a bachelor's degree or higher.

Q: What is the climate like in Chesapeake?

Chesapeake has an average annual temperature of 60.1°F and 53.6" of annual precipitation.

Q: What is the cost of living in Chesapeake?

The regional price parity for Chesapeake is 97.941, meaning prices are 2.1% below the national average.

Q: How many flood insurance claims has Chesapeake city filed?

Chesapeake city, Virginia has recorded 294 NFIP flood insurance claims since 2016, totaling $2.9M in payouts. This is county-level data: FEMA does not attribute individual claims to a specific city.

Chesapeake, VA is a 235K-resident city in Chesapeake city with a median household income of $95,373.

Chesapeake city, Virginia. Federal health, economic, and safety indicators for Chesapeake, drawn from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey, CDC PLACES, and CMS Hospital Compare. Chesapeake has a population larger than 98% of the 4,640 U.S. cities Areazine tracks, a median home value of $378,400, and 1 hospital serving the surrounding area.

Compiled by Areazine

Data updated 2026-09-16

235K
Population (place): Top 2%
By size: $95,373
Median income (place): $378,400
Median home (place): 9.4%
Poverty rate (place)

My saved cities

The read on Chesapeake

Chesapeake posts a median household income higher than 65% of U.S. cities Areazine tracks, where 1 hospital serves the Chesapeake area.

Top 35%
by median income, US cities: 1
hospital in & near Chesapeake

Composite score · Chesapeake, VA

64/100

4 published dimensions · ACS/FBI 2024

A transparent index Areazine derives from Census ACS medians (income, poverty, bachelor's share) and FBI UCR violent-crime rates when published, not an official Census Bureau or FBI rating. Higher means a stronger standing on those published figures, not a livability rating, not a recommendation to move to or avoid any place. Missing inputs drop out and redistribute weight. How it is calculated.

Violent crime B+

194 /100k

FBI UCR violent offenses per 100,000 residents. State-level rate (per-city UCR reporting is incomplete/voluntary): every city in the state shares this value; lower is stronger on this axis.

Household income C+

$95,373

Median household income vs cities tracked on Areazine; ACS 5-Year Estimates.

Poverty rate C

9.4%

Share of residents below the poverty line; lower scores better on this axis. ACS 5-Year Estimates.

Bachelor's+ share C

36.9%

Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher; ACS 5-Year Estimates.

See the full national tables: Healthiest Cities in America (health outcomes only) · Community Wellbeing Cities (this page's blended composite).

Where Chesapeake income ranks nationally

Median household income vs. every place Areazine profiles (place-level ACS)

$95,373 Top 35% higher than 65% of 3,889 places Areazine profiles

Each bar is a $20,000-wide band; taller bars hold more places Areazine profiles. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (place-level) · 2024 ACS 5-year

Virginia Beach

454,808
Norfolk

238,005
Chesapeake

235,429
Richmond

226,610
Arlington

207,627
Newport News

186,247
Alexandria

159,467
Hampton

137,148
Roanoke

100,011
Portsmouth

96,201

What this shows By headcount, Virginia Beach ranks #1 here -- income honors go to Great Falls.

Great Falls

$250,001
McLean

$250,001
Wolf Trap

$250,001
Bull Run

$241,933
Broadlands

$241,042
Lowes Island

$220,833
Vienna

$216,953
Fort Hunt

$216,038
Dranesville

$214,688
Fairfax Station

$212,224

What this shows Income honors go to Great Falls here -- by headcount, that title belongs to Virginia Beach.

The quick read

Reading Chesapeake, VA beyond the headline numbers

Chesapeake sits inside Chesapeake city, Virginia, at roughly 36.82°N, -76.27°W. Population 235,429, $95,373 median household income. Median home value $378,400, median rent $1,586. Poverty rate 9.4%, read against that income figure since two cities on the same median can differ underneath it.

1 hospital in/around Chesapeake, 3/5 avg rating, 1 with an ER. Climate: 60.1°F annual average, 53.6" precipitation.

Among the CDC measures on this page, obesity departs furthest from its peer median: 40.1% in Chesapeake, the highest-prevalence quarter of the 3,759 cities reporting that measure.

Median rent in Chesapeake, VA runs $1,586/month, above the midpoint for reporting cities -- worth weighing against the income figures on this page.

36.9% of Chesapeake adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, above the midpoint of reporting cities.

At 9.4%, poverty in Chesapeake, VA runs below the midpoint of reporting cities -- enough to matter locally, not enough to dominate the city's profile.

Unemployment in Chesapeake sits at 4.6%, below the midpoint of reporting cities.

13.1% of Chesapeake workers are remote, above the midpoint of reporting cities.

A median home in Chesapeake runs about 4.0 times median household income, above the midpoint. Multiples in this range usually mean buyers are arriving from outside the local wage base.

Sources: U.S. Census ACS, CDC PLACES, CMS Hospital Compare, plus live alerts for Chesapeake from FEMA, NOAA, FDA, and CPSC. Economic comparison bars use the unweighted average across tracked Census places with a reported value, not a household-weighted national median.

Looking Back a Decade 2013–2024

County-level trend (Chesapeake city): Chesapeake's own historical series isn't separately published by the Census Bureau, so these year-over-year figures track the surrounding county, not the city alone.

20132024

Population

253K+12%

Median Income

$95,373+37%

Median Home Value

$378,400+45%

Poverty Rate

9.4%+11%

Unemployment

4.6%-35%

Economics

What stands out most about Chesapeake's economic profile: poverty rate at 9.4%, 24% below the average across tracked places. A second figure worth noting: median household income at $95,373, 7% above the tracked-city average.

Economics indicators for Chesapeake, VA
Indicator	Value
Median Rent	$1,586/mo
Poverty Rate	9.4% -24% vs avg
Unemployment	4.6%
Bachelor's Degree+	36.9%
Work From Home	13.1%
Public Transit	0.6%

By the Numbers

White 55.1%

African American 29.1%

Asian 3.9%

Two or More Ethnicities 4.2%

Community Health 15 measures

Health Indicators

Obesity

40.1%

Short Sleep Duration

38.8%

High Blood Pressure

36.5%

Physical Inactivity

22.9%

Frequent Mental Distress

16.8%

Binge Drinking

15.1%

Frequent Physical Distress

13%

Diabetes

12.9%

Current Smoking

12.9%

Current Asthma

11.2%

Preventive Care

Dental Visit 68.8%

Annual Checkup 80.5%

Other Measures

Lack of Health Insurance

8.2%

Coronary Heart Disease

5.7%

Stroke

3.3%

Nearby Healthcare 1 total

CMS Overall Hospital Quality Star Rating (1-5): a composite score across dozens of reported measures, not a single outcome guarantee for any patient. It isn't adjusted for patient case mix and isn't directly comparable across hospital types, a critical-access facility and a large teaching hospital aren't rated on the same measure set.

Rating Distribution

★★★★★

★★★★

★★★

★★

★

Average Rating

3/5

Total Hospitals

With ER

CHESAPEAKE GENERAL HOSPITAL

CHESAPEAKE · Acute Care Hospitals · ER

★★★☆☆

Climate

NOAA 1991-2020 Normals

Avg Temperature

60°F

Annual Rainfall

53.6"

Hot Months (>80°F)

Cold Months (<40°F)

49°

32°

Jan

3.7"

52°

34°

Feb

3.2"

58°

40°

Mar

4.1"

70°

49°

Apr

3.7"

77°

58°

May

4.1"

84°

66°

Jun

4.8"

88°

71°

Jul

5.7"

86°

70°

Aug

6.6"

80°

65°

Sep

6.2"

71°

53°

Oct

4.5"

60°

43°

Nov

3.5"

53°

36°

Dec

3.5"

Cost of Living

BEA 2024

97.9 Regional Price Parity

2.1% below national average

US avg

97.9

Metro area: Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC (MSA)

Source: BEA Regional Price Parities via FRED. RPP of 100 = national average.

Flood Insurance Claims History

FEMA NFIP, county-level

294

Claims filed

$2.9M

Total paid out

Most common flood zone

Chesapeake city has recorded 294 National Flood Insurance Program claims totaling $2.9M in payouts since 2016.

The largest single contributor was Hurricane Matthew, accounting for 161 claims.

Source: FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims, via OpenFEMA. County-level data: individual claims are not attributed to a specific city or address by FEMA.

What alerts and safety updates affect Chesapeake?

No area-tagged alerts are on record for Chesapeake right now. New federal and counterpart-agency notices still land in the site feed as agencies publish them.

City alert dispatch desk

Sheet VA-CHESAPEAKE · Chesapeake

Chesapeake: 59 tagged alerts; lead category NWS weather alert.

VOL-HEAVY 59 on record
WX-LED 100% weather
DESK-MIX NOAA
NEAR-PEER 36 · Somerset

Weather Alerts

59

What this shows 59 tagged notices on record for Chesapeake.

Nearest tagged-volume peer: Somerset, NJ (36 tagged · Δ23)

Counts reflect published articles tagged to Chesapeake; untagged NOAA county warnings may still appear in the site feed. Browse Virginia state hubs · Methodology

Cities tracking a comparable alert volume 4

Nearest published-notice counts on Areazine (59 tagged here), a feed-density peer set, not an ACS demographic match.

Somerset, NJ 36 alerts El Paso, TX 16 alerts Phoenix, AZ 15 alerts California, MD 15 alerts

Frequently Asked Questions 9

What is the population of Chesapeake, VA? ▼

Chesapeake, VA has a population of 235,429 people, located in Chesapeake city, Virginia.

What is the median household income in Chesapeake? ▼

The median household income in Chesapeake, VA is $95,373 per year, per the U.S. Census ACS. The poverty rate is 9.4%.

What is the median home value in Chesapeake? ▼

The median home value in Chesapeake, VA is $378,400. Median rent is $1,586/month.

What are the top health concerns in Chesapeake? ▼

The top health indicators in Chesapeake include Obesity (40.1%), Short Sleep Duration (38.8%), High Blood Pressure (36.5%). Data from CDC PLACES.

How many hospitals are in Chesapeake? ▼

Chesapeake has 1 hospital with an average rating of 3/5 stars. 1 have emergency departments.

What is the median age in Chesapeake? ▼

The median age in Chesapeake, VA is 37.9 years. 36.9% of residents have a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the climate like in Chesapeake? ▼

Chesapeake has an average annual temperature of 60.1°F and 53.6" of annual precipitation.

What is the cost of living in Chesapeake? ▼

The regional price parity for Chesapeake is 97.941, meaning prices are 2.1% below the national average.

How many flood insurance claims has Chesapeake city filed? ▼

Chesapeake city, Virginia has recorded 294 NFIP flood insurance claims since 2016, totaling $2.9M in payouts. This is county-level data: FEMA does not attribute individual claims to a specific city.

Nationwide cities with similar poverty or income 8

Two ACS-derived peer sets for Chesapeake, both outside Virginia so the neighborhoods are not the geographic nearby list below.

Similar poverty rate

Nearest place-level ACS poverty rates outside VA (9.4% here).

Waltham, MA 9.4% Lake Elsinore, CA 9.4% Coral Gables, FL 9.4% Beverly, MA 9.4%

Similar median income

Nearest place-level ACS median household incomes outside VA ($95,373 here).

Richmond, CA $95,391 Montgomery Village, MD $95,348 Skokie, IL $95,337 Duluth, GA $95,331

Compare Chesapeake with another city

Pick a second U.S. city to open a side-by-side profile on population, income, health, and hospitals, the same federal datasets as this page.

Quick picks:

Nearby Cities 8

Portsmouth, VA 96K Norfolk, VA 238K Portsmouth Heights, VA 99K Hampton, VA 137K Newport News, VA 186K East Hampton, VA 148K Virginia Beach, VA 455K Poquoson, VA 12K

All cities in Virginia → Compare Chesapeake vs Portsmouth → All comparisons → Browse all cities

Turning this into a research checklist

Use this as a starting research checklist, not a verdict on whether to live here.

Check live recalls, weather and hazard alerts scoped to the Chesapeake area before relying on national headlines. Check your area
Read the poverty rate alongside the income figure, two places with the same median can have very different realities.
Compare Chesapeake against Virginia peers on any ranking lens. Explore Virginia

U.S. Census ACS supplies the place-level population and economics figures (income, home value, poverty, education); CDC PLACES supplies health; hospital counts reflect nearby facilities. County-level trends carry their own label.

Data Sources

All data on this page comes from official U.S. government sources. Population and economic data from the Census Bureau American Community Survey (2024 5-year estimates, place geography). Health data from the CDC PLACES program (2023). Hospital ratings from CMS Hospital Compare (2024). Climate data from NOAA. Education data from NCES. Cost of living from Bureau of Economic Analysis. Crime statistics, where referenced on Areazine, originate from the FBI Crime Data Explorer. Housing market figures referenced on Areazine come from HUD Fair Market Rents. Census economics and population are at place geography; some health and hospital indicators are reported at the county level (Chesapeake city) where that is the smallest published unit.

Every figure on Areazine is published directly from official U.S. government sources, no number is typed in by an editor. City demographic and health figures are compiled directly from U.S. Census (place-level ACS), CDC, and CMS releases, updated quarterly within 30 days of upstream release. County-level trends are labeled when shown. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-09-16.