Virginia

Newport News

170,045
1990 population
1790
first census record
21
census records

About Newport News

Newport News, Virginia, first appears in the United States federal census in 1790, when it recorded a population of 1,690. At the most recent census, in 1990, its population stood at 170,045.

The county's recorded population has risen across the decades to its highest level in 1990.

On the ground today, 36 places are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Population by decade

Census YearPopulationChart
1990170,045
1980144,903
1970138,177
1960113,662
195082,233
194046,315
193043,246
192047,013
191026,246
190024,523
18906,650
18802,258
18701,672
18601,740
18501,546
18401,456
18301,570
18201,608
18101,835
18001,659
17901,690
Source

Population data from the United States decennial census, U.S. Census Bureau (public domain).

Historic places in Newport News

National Register of Historic Places listings in Newport News, Virginia.

Warwick County Courthouses
Newport News (Independent City)
Causey's Mill
Newport News (Independent City)
Jones, Matthew, House
Newport News (Independent City)
Lee Hall
Newport News (Independent City)
Greenlawn Cemetery
Newport News (Independent City)
Endview Plantation
Newport News (Independent City)
Boldrup Plantation Archeological Site
Newport News (Independent City)
Temple Sinai
Newport News (Independent City)
Simon Reid Curtis House
Newport News
Fort Crafford
Newport News (Independent City)
Queen Hith Plantation Complex Site
Newport News (Independent City)
Denbigh Plantation Site
Newport News (Independent City)
Whittaker Memorial Hospital
Newport News
Newport News Middle Ground Light Station
Newport News (Independent City)
First Denbigh Parish Church Archeological Site
Newport News (Independent City)
Lee Hall Depot
Newport News
Southern Terminal Redoubt
Newport News (Independent City)
Smith's Pharmacy
Newport News
Lee's Mill Earthworks
Newport News
First Baptist Church-Newport News
Newport News (Independent City)
Fields, James A., House
Newport News (Independent City)
Newport News Public Library
Newport News (Independent City)
St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church
Newport News
Noland Company Building
Newport News (Independent City)
Browse all Virginiahistoric sites ›

Other counties in Virginia

Explore census history and historic records for more Virginia counties.

RockinghamRussellSalemSalem cityScottShenandoahSmythSouth BostonSouth NorfolkSouthamptonSpotsylvaniaStaffordStauntonStaunton citySuffolkSuffolk citySurrySussexTazewellVirginia Beach
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Everything a full report reveals about Newport News County, Virginia

This page charts the census history of Newport News County, Virginia. A full Aubrey report for an address here pulls together everything the historical record holds about the ground, from the earliest settlement to the twentieth century:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Virginiahistory ›NRHP historic sites ›Notable people from Virginia›

Frequently asked about Newport News

When does Newport News first appear in the US census?
Newport News, Virginia first appears in the federal census in 1790, with a recorded population of 1,690.
What is the population of Newport News?
At the most recent federal census (1990), Newport News had a recorded population of 170,045.
How many historic places are in Newport News?
36 sites are listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Newport News, Virginia.
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