Portsmouth city, Virginia Employment Sector Statistics (2024)
Workforce distribution by employment sector for Portsmouth city, Virginia
Employment Indicators for Portsmouth city, Virginia (2024)
Total Employed
42,140
Civilian 16+
Private For-Profit
62.8 %
Largest Sector
Self-Employed
4.0%
Entrepreneurship
Government
23.3%
Public Sector
Portsmouth city, Virginia Workforce by Sector & Gender

Portsmouth city, Virginia Employment Sector Breakdown
| Sector | Total Workers | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Private For-Profit | 26,464 | 62.8% |
| Government | 9,809 | 23.3% |
| Self-Employed | 1,670 | 4.0% |
| Private Non-Profit | 4,133 | 9.8% |
Portsmouth city, Virginia Gender Ratio Analysis by Employment Sector (2024)
| Sector | Male:Female Ratio |
|---|---|
| Private For-Profit | 1.09:1 |
| Government | 0.96:1 |
| Self-Employed | 0.66:1 |
Portsmouth city, Virginia Employment Trends (2010–2024)

Portsmouth city, Virginia Historical Employment Sector Trends
| Year | Private | Gov | Self-Emp | Non-Profit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 62.8% | 23.3% | 4.0% | 9.8% |
| 2023 | 64.2% | 24.3% | 3.5% | 7.9% |
| 2022 | 64.3% | 23.4% | 4.3% | 7.9% |
| 2021 | 63.8% | 24.2% | 3.6% | 8.3% |
| 2020 | 64.1% | 25.6% | 3.5% | 6.6% |
| 2019 | 63.5% | 25.7% | 4.0% | 6.7% |
| 2018 | 63.0% | 25.0% | 4.8% | 7.0% |
| 2017 | 63.0% | 25.1% | 4.9% | 6.9% |
| 2016 | 62.7% | 25.7% | 4.7% | 6.7% |
| 2015 | 62.3% | 26.0% | 4.8% | 6.9% |
| 2014 | 62.8% | 25.8% | 4.4% | 7.0% |
| 2013 | 63.7% | 25.0% | 4.2% | 7.0% |
| 2012 | 64.1% | 24.5% | 4.0% | 7.5% |
| 2011 | 63.9% | 24.0% | 4.6% | 7.5% |
| 2010 | 64.8% | 23.6% | 4.3% | 7.3% |
Employment Sector FAQs for Portsmouth city, Virginia
The largest employment sector in Portsmouth city, Virginia is Private For-Profit, which employs 62.8% of the local workforce.
There are approximately 42,140 civilian workers aged 16 and over currently employed in Portsmouth city, Virginia.
In the private for-profit sector, the male-to-female ratio is 1.09:1. This metric helps highlight gender participation across the most prominent industry classes.
Since 2010, the total number of workers in Portsmouth city, Virginia has shown a decrease, moving from 42,579 to 42,140 according to Census Bureau records.