Introduction to Newport News, Virginia
The Virginia City of Newport News is located on the southwestern end of the Virginia Peninsula. One of the state's largest cities, Newport News encompasses 62 square miles and lies about 6 miles southeast of Hampton and 24 miles northwest of Norfolk. The city is served by two airports: Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport, located in the city itself; and Norfolk International Airport, in Norfolk. The principal highway servicing the city is Interstate I-664. Other major thoroughfares in the area include Interstate I-64; U.S. Routes 17, 60, and 258; and Virginia State Highways 32 and 143.
First settled in 1621, the area had been referred to "Newportes Newes" several years earlier. The actual source of the name is not known with certainty, although several theories are prevalent. Several Civil War engagements took place in the area including the 1862 Peninsula Campaign. Newport News remained a small community until the 1890s when it became the eastern terminus of the Chesapeake and Ohio (C&O) Railway. The city was formally organized and incorporated as a city in 1896 without having earlier been incorporated as a town. In 1958, the neighboring cities of Warwick and Newport News were consolidated as the newly-expanded city of Newport News.
One of the principal movers & shakers in Newport News' history was a man named Collis P. Huntington. Huntington was one of the builders of the country's first transcontinental railroad and owner of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway. Later he became developer of the Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, which became the world's largest shipyard and retains its prominence in the shipbuilding field to this day. The city of Huntington, West Virginia was named in his honor, as was Huntington Avenue in Newport News.
Things to Do in Newport News
World-class attractions, over 30 public parks, as well as great places to go and things to see and do are all part of the Newport News visitor experience. The Peninsula Fine Arts Center houses a wide array of diverse artworks and dynamic exhibitions that change every few months. Kids can create personal masterpieces in the interactive Hands On For Kids gallery. Kids will also enjoy the Peninsula S.P.C.A. Exotic Sanctuary & Petting Zoo. The Exotic Sanctuary features an African mandrill, otters, a Siberian tiger, and a black leopard; while the Petting Zoo contains chickens, goats, deer and even a peacock. The U.S. Army Transportation Museum chronicles 200 years of Army transportation through models, dioramas and full-size vehicles and equipment. The Virginia Living Museum offers hands-on activities and an observatory, allowing visitors to explore the underwater world of the Chesapeake Bay and the underground realm of a limestone cave, or experience a steamy cypress swamp and a cool mountain cove. History buffs will savor the Virginia War Museum, where American military history unfolds. Collections of artifacts, vehicles, weapons, posters, and uniforms trace the development of the U.S. military from 1775 to the present.
Soccer fans can take the 10-minute drive to Newport News' neighboring city of Hampton, where pro soccer thrives. The Hampton Roads Piranhas are participants in the United Soccer League's Premier Development League (PDL). Fans of college sports can enjoy Hampton University's NCAA Division I athletic teams. Known as the Pirates, the University's teams compete in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC). Baseball fans can take the 30-minute drive to Norfolk, where the Norfolk Tides play Class Triple-A minor league baseball. The Tides are affiliated with MLB's Baltimore Orioles and compete in the International League.
| Location | Pop. | Median Family Income (2000) |
|---|---|---|
| Newport News | 180,150 | $42,520 |
| Hampton | 146,437 | $46,110 |
| Norfolk | 234,403 | $36,891 |
| Poquoson | 11,566 | $65,460 |
| Portsmouth | 100,565 | $39,577 |
| Smithfield | 6,324 | $53,906 |
| Williamsburg | 11,998 | $52,358 |
Newport News strengths, compared to Peers (similar size places nationally) or State (other places in Virginia):
| Category | Trophy | |
|---|---|---|
| Racial Diversity (vs. State) | Top 7% | ![]() |
| Public Transportation Use (vs. State) | Top 15% | ![]() |
Comparing Newport News to similar size places nationwide (Peers) and to other places in Virginia (State):
Ratings range from
(lowest) to
(highest).
| Characteristic | Compared to Peers | Compared to State |
|---|---|---|
| Children Under 5 Years Old | ![]() | ![]() |
| Female Share of the Population | ![]() | ![]() |
| Racial Diversity | ![]() | ![]() |
| Age of the Population | ![]() | ![]() |
| Male Share of the Population | ![]() | ![]() |
| Senior Citizens | ![]() | ![]() |
| Well-Paid Single Men | ![]() | ![]() |
| Well-Paid Single Women | ![]() | ![]() |
| Characteristic | Compared to Peers | Compared to State |
|---|---|---|
| Portion of People Married | ![]() | ![]() |
| Average Household Size | ![]() | ![]() |
| Characteristic | Compared to Peers | Compared to State |
|---|---|---|
| People Above Poverty | ![]() | ![]() |
| People in Middle Class or Better | ![]() | ![]() |
| Median Family Income | ![]() | ![]() |
| College Educated Adults | ![]() | ![]() |
| Characteristic | Compared to Peers | Compared to State |
|---|---|---|
| Short Commute Times | ![]() | ![]() |
| Public Transportation Use | ![]() | ![]() |
| Walking and Biking to Work | ![]() | ![]() |
| Working at Home | ![]() | ![]() |
| Characteristic | Compared to Peers | Compared to State |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability of Rents | ![]() | ![]() |
| Housing Recently Built | ![]() | ![]() |
| Affordability of Property Taxes | ![]() | ![]() |
| Seasonal and Vacation Housing | ![]() | ![]() |
| People Living Alone | ![]() | ![]() |
| Studio & One-Bedroom Rentals | ![]() | ![]() |
Read about and discuss Newport News and other places in Virginia
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Select a photo to view (Source):
Custom house and post office between 1900 and 1910
Custom house and post office between 1900 and 1910
Newport News (West Ave. residences) between 1900 and 1910
Money donated by Newport News residents to parties and candidates for the 2004 elections.
| Party | Contributions |
|---|---|
| Democratic | $86,201 |
| Republican | $74,872 |
| Libertarian | $501 |
| Candidate | Contributions |
|---|---|
| George W. Bush | $25,735 |
| John Kerry | $21,175 |
| Michael Badnarik | $501 |
| Category | Value |
|---|---|
| Est. 2005 Population | 179,899 |
| Growth | -251 |
| Growth % | -0.09% |
| Category | Count | Percent |
|---|---|---|
| Total Population | 180,150 | 100% |
| Male | 87,178 | 48.4% |
| Female | 92,972 | 51.6% |
| Under 18 | 49,525 | 27.5% |
| 18+ | 130,625 | 72.5% |
| 65+ | 18,153 | 10.1% |
| Median Age | 32 | |
| Average Family Size | 3.04 | |
| White | 96,383 | 53.5% |
| African-American | 70,388 | 39.1% |
| Asian | 4,195 | 2.3% |
| American Indian & Alaskan | 752 | 0.4% |
| Other | 3,225 | 1.8% |
| Mixed Race | 4,993 | 2.8% |
| Hispanic (included in categories above) | 7,595 | 4.2% |
| Median Family Income (1999) | $42,520 |   |
| Population In Poverty | 24,027 | 13.8% |
(From 2000 Census, as reported by individuals)
Note: This is national, not racial, ancestry, so the Census doesn't have categories for Hispanic and African-American, e.g. CityTownInfo is currently gathering additional ancestry data for this site.
| Ancestry | Percent |
|---|---|
| Other (often includes Hispanic and African American) | 50.7% |
| US/American | 9.5% |
| German | 8.1% |
| English | 7.7% |
| Irish | 6% |
| Italian | 3.1% |
| Scotch-Irish | 1.6% |
| French (except Basque) | 1.5% |
| Scottish | 1.4% |
| Polish | 1.1% |
| African | 1.1% |
| European | 1.1% |
| Dutch | 0.8% |
| Norwegian | 0.6% |
| French Canadian | 0.4% |
| British | 0.4% |
| Jamaican | 0.4% |
| Welsh | 0.4% |
| Greek | 0.3% |
| Swedish | 0.3% |
| Russian | 0.3% |
| Portuguese | 0.2% |
| Ukrainian | 0.2% |
| Danish | 0.2% |
| Hungarian | 0.2% |
Webmasters & Bloggers: Please link to this page on Newport News
![]() | Newport News Colleges Newport News colleges and trade schools. |
![]() | Newport News Hotels & Travel Newport News hotels, landmarks, tourism, transportation. |
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We've crunched the numbers to create PlaceMatch™, which compares thousands of cities and towns to find the places most similar to each.
| Category | Value |
|---|---|
| Nearest Large City | 26 miles NW of Virginia Beach, Virginia |
| Metro Area | Norfolk - Virginia Beach - Newport News |
| Standard Zip Codes | 23601, 23602, 23603, 23604, 23605, 23606, 23607, 23608 |
| P.O. Box Zip Codes | 23609, 23612 |
| Company Zip Codes | 23628, 23630, 23631 |
| Phone Area Codes | 757 |
| Time Zone | Eastern (-5 hours from GMT) |
| Daylight Savings | The city observes Daylight Saving Time. |
| Latitude | 37.05 |
| Longitude | -76.469 |
Nearest Weather Stations
Notes:
| Station | LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE |
|---|---|
| Distance | 7 miles |
| Jan Temp | 32 to 47 F |
| Apr Temp | 49 to 66 F |
| Jul Temp | 72 to 85 F |
| Oct Temp | 53 to 68 F |
| Annual Precip | 47.9 inches |
| Station | NORFOLK NAS |
|---|---|
| Distance | 12.4 miles |
| Jan Temp | 34 to 49 F |
| Apr Temp | 50 to 68 F |
| Jul Temp | 73 to 88 F |
| Oct Temp | 55 to 70 F |
| Annual Precip | 43.5 inches |
| Station | NORFOLK INTL AP |
|---|---|
| Distance | 18.2 miles |
| Jan Temp | 32 to 48 F |
| Apr Temp | 48 to 67 F |
| Jul Temp | 71 to 87 F |
| Oct Temp | 53 to 69 F |
| Annual Precip | 45.7 inches |
MENCHVILLE HIGH
275 MENCHVILLE RD
757-886-7722
Serves 1,989 students.
Student/teacher ratio: 17
DENBIGH HIGH
259 DENBIGH BLVD
757-886-7700
A magnet school.
Serves 1,914 students.
Student/teacher ratio: 15.6
WOODSIDE HIGH
13450 WOODSIDE LANE
757-886-7530
A magnet school.
Serves 1,879 students.
Student/teacher ratio: 18.5
WARWICK HIGH
51 COPELAND LANE
757-591-4700
A magnet school.
Serves 1,824 students.
Student/teacher ratio: 16
HERITAGE HIGH
5800 MARSHALL AVE
757-928-6100
A magnet school.
Serves 1,651 students.
Student/teacher ratio: 13.5
NEW HORIZONS TECH CTR-WOODSIDE
13400 WOODSIDE LN
804-874-4444
A Vocational School
NEWPORT NEWS JUVENILE DETENTION HOME
228 25TH ST.
757-926-7352
A Non-traditional School
ENTERPRISE ACADEMY/NEWPORT NEWS CITY
813 DILIGENCE DR STE 110
757-591-4971
A Non-traditional School
RIVERSIDE REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER
(Voluntary non-profit - Private)
500 J CLYDE MORRIS BLVD
(757) 594-2000
Emergency Service: Yes
MARY IMMACULATE HOSPITAL
(Voluntary non-profit - Church)
2 BERNARDINE DRIVE
(757) 886-6000
Emergency Service: Yes
| (As of 2005) |
|---|
| Farm Fresh 353 Chatham Dr |
| Jefferson Commons 12531 Jefferson Avenue |
| Jefferson Plaza 12103 Jefferson Ave |
| Kiln Creek 120 Ottis Street |
| Oyster Point Shoppes 340 Oyster Point Road |
| (As of 2006) |
|---|
| 12401 Jefferson (757) 874-4434 |
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