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Suffolk, Virginia Population, Hospitals, Airports, and Schools

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Suffolk, Virginia is located in the southeastern region of the state and is part of the Hampton Roads metropolitan area. It is bordered by Chesapeake to the north, Portsmouth to the south, and Isle of Wight County to the west. The city has a humid subtropical climate, with hot summers and cool winters.

The city was founded in 1742 by English settlers as a port town on the Nansemond River. Since then, it has grown into one of Virginia’s most important cities. Suffolk has been an important political center throughout its history. It was a key point during the Revolutionary War and Civil War battles and hosted several major political events throughout its history.

The economy of Suffolk is largely based on service industries such as retail, education, health care, finance, and tourism. There are also several technology companies located in Suffolk such as Canon Virginia Inc., Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics Inc., and Sumitomo Precision Products Co., Ltd., which all provide significant employment opportunities for local residents. Additionally, Suffolk is home to two universities: Tidewater Community College and Old Dominion University (ODU). Both offer a variety of degree programs for students looking for higher education in Suffolk.

Suffolk is also home to several historical landmarks including The Riddick’s Folly House Museum which is a 19th-century Greek Revival home that has been preserved as a museum featuring artifacts from Suffolk’s past; Sleepy Hole Park which features trails winding through woodlands along with a golf course; and the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge which offers outdoor activities such as canoeing or kayaking through its vast wetlands habitats. Additionally, visitors can explore one of Suffolk’s oldest neighborhoods known as South Quay where they can find historic homes dating back to the 18th century or visit one of its many waterfront parks that offer breathtaking views of both downtown Suffolk and Hampton Roads Harbor.

Population: 63,677. Estimated population in July 2024: 78,994 (+24.1% change)
Males: 30,410 (47.8%), Females: 33,267 (52.2%)

Zip codes: 23432, 23433, 23434, 23435, 23436, 23437, 23438.

Demographics

Median resident age: 36.0 years
Median household income: $41,115
Median house value: $107,300

Population by Race

Races in Suffolk:

  • White Non-Hispanic (53.3%)
  • Black (43.5%)
  • Hispanic (1.3%)
  • Two or more races (1.2%)
  • American Indian (0.8%)

Ancestries: United States (11.4%), English (10.3%), German (6.7%), Irish (6.2%), Italian (2.1%), French (2.0%).

Elevation: 50 feet

Land area: 400.0 square miles

Population by Education

Suffolk, Virginia is a city located in the Hampton Roads region of southeastern Virginia. As of 2019, Suffolk had an estimated population of 88,788. This makes it the 14th largest city in Virginia and the third largest in Hampton Roads. The population is diverse and has grown significantly since 2000 when it was estimated to be around 72,000 people. The racial makeup of Suffolk is 54.3% White, 33.9% African American, 8.7% Hispanic or Latino, 2.2% Asian and 0.8% from other races with 3 or more races making up the remaining 0.2%.

The median age in Suffolk is 35 years old with 25% of the population under 18 years old and 13% over 65 years old. The median household income is $50,264 with approximately 17% of households earning less than $25,000 per year and 15% earning more than $100,000 annually. In terms of education attainment levels in Suffolk, 92% have at least a high school diploma or equivalent while 28% have a bachelor’s degree or higher. Additionally, 19 percent are employed in management/business/finance occupations while another 19 percent are employed in sales/office occupations followed by 17 percent working in production/transportation jobs and 16 percent working in education/healthcare occupations respectively.

For population 25 years and over in Suffolk

  • High school or higher: 76.8%
  • Bachelor’s degree or higher: 17.3%
  • Graduate or professional degree: 5.6%
  • Unemployed: 4.9%
  • Mean travel time to work: 27.3 minutes

For population 15 years and over in Suffolk city

  • Never married: 25.1%
  • Now married: 55.2%
  • Separated: 3.8%
  • Widowed: 7.7%
  • Divorced: 8.1%

1.9% Foreign born

Population change in the 1990s: +11,399 (+21.8%).

Hospitals

Hospital/medical center in Suffolk:

  • LOUISE OBICI MEMORIAL HOSPITAL (2800 GODWIN BOULEVARD)

Other hospitals/medical centers near Suffolk:

  • MARYVIEW MEDICAL CENTER/PORTSMOUTH GEN (about 20 miles; PORTSMOUTH, VA)
  • RIVERSIDE REHAB INSTITUTE (about 22 miles; NEWPORT NEWS, VA)
  • NEWPORT NEWS GENERAL HOSPITAL (about 23 miles; NEWPORT NEWS, VA)

Airports

Airports certified for carrier operations nearest to Suffolk:

  • NORFOLK NS (about 27 miles; NORFOLK, VA; Abbreviation: NGU)
  • NEWPORT NEWS/WILLIAMSBURG INTERNATIONAL (about 28 miles; NEWPORT NEWS, VA; Abbreviation: PHF)
  • LANGLEY AFB (about 29 miles; HAMPTON, VA; Abbreviation: LFI)

Other public-use airports nearest to Suffolk:

  • SUFFOLK MUNI (about 6 miles; SUFFOLK, VA; Abbreviation: SFQ)
  • HAMPTON ROADS EXECUTIVE (about 13 miles; NORFOLK, VA; Abbreviation: PVG)
  • FRANKLIN MUNI-JOHN BEVERLY ROSE (about 21 miles; FRANKLIN, VA; Abbreviation: FKN)

Colleges and Universities

Colleges/Universities in Suffolk:

  • LOUISE OBICI SCHOOL OF NURSING (Full-time enrollment: 90; Location: 1900 N MAIN ST; Private, not-for-profit)
  • SUFFOLK BEAUTY SCHOOL (Full-time enrollment: 33; Location: 860 PORTSMOUTH BLVD; Private, for-profit)

Colleges and Universities

Colleges/universities with over 2000 students nearest to Suffolk:

  • TIDEWATER COMMUNITY COLLEGE (about 24 miles; NORFOLK, VA; Full-time enrollment: 11,042)
  • CHRISTOPHER NEWPORT UNIVERSITY (about 25 miles; NEWPORT NEWS, VA; Full-time enrollment: 4,432)
  • NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY (about 25 miles; NORFOLK, VA; Full-time enrollment: 5,820)
  • THOMAS NELSON COMMUNITY COLLEGE (about 26 miles; Hampton, VA; Full-time enrollment: 3,884)
  • HAMPTON UNIVERSITY (about 27 miles; HAMPTON, VA; Full-time enrollment: 5,249)
  • OLD DOMINION UNIVERSITY (about 29 miles; NORFOLK, VA; Full-time enrollment: 13,330)
  • ECPI COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY (about 33 miles; VIRGINIA BEACH, VA; Full-time enrollment: 2,083)

Schools

Public high schools in Suffolk:

  • LAKELAND HIGH (Students: 1,950; Location: 214 KENYON RD; Grades: 09 – 12)
  • NANSEMOND RIVER HIGH (Students: 1,657; Location: 3301 NANSEMOND PKWY; Grades: 09 – 12)
  • PRUDEN CENTER FOR INDUS/TECH (Location: 4169 PRUDEN BLVD; Grades: 09 – 12)

Biggest public primary/middle schools in Suffolk:

  • KING’S FORK MIDDLE (Students: 1,136; Location: 350 KINGS FORK RD.; Grades: 06 – 08)
  • JOHN YEATES MIDDLE (Students: 842; Location: 4901 BENNETTS PASTURE RD; Grades: 06 – 08)
  • JOHN F. KENNEDY MIDDLE (Students: 821; Location: 2325 E WASHINGTON ST; Grades: 06 – 08)
  • NORTHERN SHORES ELEM. (Students: 811; Location: 6701 RESPASS BEACH RD; Grades: KG – 05)
  • MACK BENN JR ELEM (Students: 715; Location: 1253 NANSEMOND PKWY; Grades: PK – 05)
  • KILBY SHORES ELEM. (Students: 692; Location: 111 KILBY SHORES DR; Grades: PK – 05)
  • ELEPHANT’S FORK ELEM. (Students: 680; Location: 2316 WILLIAM REID DR; Grades: KG – 05)
  • NANSEMOND PARKWAY ELEM. (Students: 633; Location: 3012 NANSEMOND PKWY; Grades: KG – 05)
  • DRIVER ELEM. (Students: 552; Location: 4270 DRIVER LN; Grades: 02 – 05)
  • OAKLAND ELEM. (Students: 538; Location: 5505 GODWIN BLVD; Grades: KG – 05)

Private primary/middle school in Suffolk:

  • FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH (Students: 158; Location: POB 1266; Grades: PK – 5)

Libraries

Library in Suffolk:

  • SUFFOLK PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEM (Operating income: $1,307,122; Location: 443 WEST WASHINGTON STREET; 138,190 books; 4,425 audio materials; 210 serial subscriptions)

 

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