The Town FilesHampton, Virginia
City in Hampton city · population 137,148 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $245,700
- Household income
- $69,621
- Jan low / Jul high
- 32° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 3 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 23
- Median age
- 36.8
Hampton is a city of 137,148 people in Hampton city, Virginia. The median home is worth $245,700, below the typical Virginia town ($298,050). It ranks more seaside character than 95% of Virginia towns, better for first-time buyers than 92% of Virginia towns, better for a vacation home than 91% of Virginia towns.
How Hampton ranks
Percentile among Virginia towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Virginia towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Hampton is worth $245,700, below the typical Virginia town ($298,050). Homes cost about 3.5 times the median household income of $69,621, which is more affordable than 67% of Virginia towns. Median rent is $1,427 a month. 56.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Hampton | Typical Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $245,700 | $298,050 |
| Median rent | $1,427 | $1,254 |
| Median household income | $69,621 | $78,595 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.5× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 56.9% | 69.2% |
| Median year built | 1974 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.5% | — |
Who lives in Hampton
| People | Hampton | Typical Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.8 | 39.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.7% | 17.3% |
| Under 18 | 21.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.5% | 31.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.7% | 8.8% |
| Veterans | 16.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.9% | — |
| Work from home | 10.4% | 12.8% |
| Average commute | 22.5 min | 26.3 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.0% | 91.8% |
Weather in Hampton
July highs average 87.3°F and January lows 32.1°F. About 47.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 2.7 inches of snow (typical Virginia town: 13.4 in). Expect about 30 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 52 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
23 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Hampton since 1950, compared with 11 for the typical Virginia town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on September 5, 1979 about 8.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 4, 2014.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 41 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on June 13, 1998.
Severe weather in Hampton city since 1996
Hampton city has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, freezing, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 23, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3631: Severe Winter Storm |
| April 2, 2020 | Biological | DR-4512: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3448: Covid-19 |
| October 15, 2018 | Hurricane | DR-4401: Hurricane Florence |
| September 11, 2018 | Hurricane | EM-3403: Hurricane Florence |
Jobs and pay in Hampton city
Hampton city had 50,137 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $63,365 a year. Unemployment was 3.7% in 2023; in Hampton itself the ACS puts it at 6.3%.
Public schools in Hampton
36 public schools with 19,657 students, about 14.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bethel High | 9-12 | 1,802 | 15.8 |
| George P. Phenix Elementary | PK-8 | 1,559 | 10.3 |
| Kecoughtan High | 9-12 | 1,517 | 14.2 |
| Phoebus High | 9-12 | 1,417 | 16.3 |
| Hampton High | 9-12 | 1,240 | 13.1 |
| Hunter B. Andrews | PK-8 | 1,125 | 15.0 |
| Benjamin Syms Middle | 6-8 | 865 | 14.7 |
| Cesar Tarrant Middle | 6-8 | 695 | 15.8 |
| C. Alton Lindsay Middle | 6-8 | 674 | 13.5 |
| Thomas Eaton Middle | 6-8 | 600 | 13.6 |
| Francis W. Jones Magnet Middle | 6-8 | 597 | 13.6 |
| Alfred S. Forrest Elementary | K-5 | 532 | 16.6 |
Towns near Hampton
- Poquoson, VA5.6 mi · 12,460 people · home $400,300
- Bethel Manor, VA7.8 mi · 4,540 people · home —
- Norfolk, VA9.1 mi · 238,005 people · home $289,900
- Newport News, VA12.5 mi · 186,247 people · home $260,600
- Portsmouth, VA13.4 mi · 97,915 people · home $246,900
- Carrollton, VA14.4 mi · 7,498 people · home $423,900
- Smithfield, VA18.2 mi · 8,533 people · home $374,900
- Gloucester Point, VA18.9 mi · 10,587 people · home $320,700
Hampton questions
Is Hampton, Virginia a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Hampton scores better for retirees than 12% of Virginia towns and quieter than 18%. 16.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.8).
How much does a house cost in Hampton?
The median owner-occupied home in Hampton is valued at $245,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $69,621, so homes cost about 3.5 times income. Median rent is $1,427 a month.
What is the weather like in Hampton?
July highs average 87.3°F and January lows 32.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 47.8 inches of precipitation a year and 2.7 inches of snow.
Does Hampton get tornadoes?
23 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Hampton since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on September 5, 1979. The typical Virginia town has had 11.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)