Economic Base and Major Employers

A mix of federal government, ship repair, marine engineering, health care, food processing and manufacturing.

Portsmouth benefits from its role as a regional "Job Center," with thousands more jobs than available workers within the city. Because of close proximity and accessibility, many workers commute from the surrounding cities resulting in a net in-commute of approximately 6,000 employees. In fact, Hampton Roads offers a unique labor pool, with over 15,000 exiting military members each year, 20,000 military spouses and over 92,000 college students. For more details on Hampton Roads’ workforce, visit Hampton Roads Economic Development Alliance (HREDA).