The city of Newport News, Virginia, is a coastal town of 120 square miles with a population of around 185,000 people. While the area's history dates back to the colonial settlements of Jamestown, Newport News is firmly connected with an evolving, modern world due to its strong ties to the United States military. The city offers a mixture of residential suburbs, industrial zones and large, forested green spaces.
After establishing Jamestown, English settlers began to explore the surrounding area and settled in what’s now known as Hampton Roads. Originally named Elizabeth Cittie in 1619, it became a large area for growing cash crops like tobacco. After the Civil War, the farming villages started becoming industrialized due to the completion of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway.
Hampton Roads is a major military hub on the East Coast with over a dozen bases and facilities throughout the region. Occupying a chunk of coastal land along the James River, the Newport News Shipyard is the largest industrial employer in the state. Operating since 1886, it's the only place in the country where U.S. Navy aircraft carriers are designed, built and refueled. The shipyard is also one of two locations in the country where U.S. Navy submarines are constructed. Also in the city, Fort Eustis is a nearly 8,000-acre base that’s home to the Army's Training and Doctrine Command. As for the rest of the Tidewater region, Hampton is home to Langley Air Force Base and the city of Virginia Beach has four of its own bases, including Oceana Naval Air Station. There’s also Naval Station Norfolk, the largest naval complex in the world.
Newport News also holds other major industries like aerospace, food and beverage processing and technology research. The Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility is dedicated to the research of nuclear physics, materials science and accelerator science. Other major companies include High Liner Foods, Inc, Canon Virginia and the Riverside Health System.
Newport News Shipbuilding is the largest industrial employer in Virginia.
Fort Eustis is a short commute for Lee Hall residents who are stationed there.
Deep Creek residents have excellent healthcare facilities close by at Riverside.
Many Newport News residents are stationed at Langley Air Force Base.
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Historic neighborhoods like Hilton Village
The city breaks down into three major districts: North Newport News , Midtown and Downtown. Most houses in the city are clustered in traditional suburbs. Downtown, also referred to as The Yard District, has older neighborhoods like Hilton Village , which is on the National Register of Historic Places. Midtown, the city’s commercial and entertainment center, has newer homes, townhouses and condos in neighborhoods like Saunders . North Newport News is known for its recreation and has neighborhoods built in the mid-1900s, including Windsor . “There’s not much new construction happening right now,” says Debi Warren, a Realtor with Liz Moore & Associates, who’s been selling homes in the area for over 20 years. “Hilton has homes from about the 1910s to the 1930s. Other than that, most of Newport News has homes from the 1950s to the 1990s.”
Homes here tend to sell at a lower price point compared to cities like Virginia Beach and Norfolk, but townhouse and condo prices are in line with the rest of Hampton Roads. Single-family homes in the city sell for a median price of around $290,000 and typically stay on the market for about a month. Condos and townhouses, meanwhile, sell for a median price of $335,000.
Large waterfront estates with large backyards and private docks line the streets in Riverside.
Large colonial homes are prevalent in Deep Creek.
Split level homes are one of the many a housing options in Richneck.
Brick ranchers are prevalent in Richneck.
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Endless hiking at Newport News Park
In the north end of the city, Newport News Park is a massive 8,000-acre recreation space with 35 miles of hiking trails through swamps, marshes, and woodlands. There are multiple boat launches that provide access to the Lee Hall Reservoir, a popular freshwater fishing spot. The park also offers an archery range, disc golf course, playground and a nature center. Along the James River, Huntington Park has over a dozen sports facilities, a rose garden and a swimming beach. There’s also the James River Fishing Pier close by where locals can catch striped bass and flounder. The Noland Trail is a 5-mile walking path around Mariners’ Lake with 14 wooden bridges throughout its layout.
The James River Country Club has an 18-hole golf course, indoor tennis courts and a pro shop. The country club also holds the oldest golf museum in the world with over 800 golf clubs, including the oldest identifiable club. There’s also the Newport News Golf Club at Deer Run, a public facility offering two 18-hole courses.
Locals can head to Hampton or Virginia Beach for over 50 combined miles of beaches along the Atlantic Ocean. The Virginia Beach Oceanfront has a 3-mile boardwalk with shops and a fishing pier that’s open seasonally. Buckroe Beach in Hampton offers a wide, sandy coast and its own fishing pier. First Landing State Park, situated in the Cape Henry area of Virginia Beach, is the most visited park in the state and features over 20 miles of trails and kayak access for Broad Bay.
Huntington Park has six lighted pickleball courts in Newport News.
Newport News Park has miles of walking, biking, and multi use trails.
James River Country Club is a private golf course located near Deep Creek.
Richneck golfers have access to two courses at the Newport News Golf Club at Deer Run.
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Full-scale warship reproduction at The Mariners’ Museum
The Mariners' Museum and Park, located in Riverside , is one of the largest maritime museums in North America. There’s a total of 32,000 artifacts, including a full-scale reproduction of the USS Monitor, an ironclad warship that was lost along the coast of Cape Hatteras in 1862. The Virginia Living Museum, which is just over a mile north from The Mariners’ Museum, has hands-on exhibits with 250 plant and animal species.
Just over 10 miles north on Interstate 64, Busch Gardens Williamsburg is a European-themed amusement park that’s been voted the world’s most beautiful theme park for 34 years straight by the National Amusement Park Historical Association. Colonial Williamsburg is a historic village with over 600 original, restored and reconstructed buildings from 1700s.
The Hampton Coliseum holds sports events and popular large-scale productions like “Disney on Ice.” The Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater in Virginia Beach hosts summer music festivals and big-name acts throughout the year. Norfolk also has several entertainment venues, including Chrysler Hall, Wells Theatre and the NorVA. Norfolk is also home to several sports teams. Norfolk Tides baseball, a Triple-A minor league team, plays at Harbor Park Stadium. There’s also Norfolk Admirals hockey, a pro team in the ECHL, at the Scope Arena.
There is a full size replica of the USS Monitor at the Mariners' Museum.
The Mariners' Museum offers Riverside residents a look at maritime history.
Deep Creek families love visiting the Virginia Living Museum to see all the animal exhibits.
Newport News residents can head to the Hampton Coliseum to see concerts and shows.
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Specialized academy programs at Newport News High Schools
Students in the city are served by Newport News Public Schools, which receives a B-minus from Niche. Several of the area’s high schools also offer specialized programs for the district, including the aviation academy at Denbigh High and the Governor's STEM Academy at Heritage High.
Christopher Newport University is a public college in Midtown. Originally founded in 1960 as an extension of the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, the school has made a name for itself and was ranked as one of the top public colleges in the south by U.S. News & World Report in 2024.
There are additional higher education opportunities throughout the region. William & Mary, founded in 1693, is the second-oldest college in the country. Hampton University is a private, historically black university offering over 90 degree programs. Old Dominion University is in Norfolk and Virginia Wesleyan University is in Virginia Beach. The southernmost parts of the region also have Tidewater Community College, which has campuses in Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake and Portsmouth.
Riverside is adjacent to Christopher Newport University, a top ranked liberal arts school.
Denbigh High School serves Denbigh residents of grades 9-12th grade.
The entrance to Heritage High School in Newport News.
College students living in Deep Creek have a short drive to Christopher Newport University.
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Popular restaurants in City Center at Oyster Point
In Midtown, Oyster Point is a 52-acre shopping district with popular local restaurants like Schlesinger's Steakhouse and Fin. Also in Midtown, Azzurri is a family-run eatery along Warwick Boulevard with Italian dishes. Near the border of Midtown and North Newport News, the Marketplace at Tech Center and Jefferson Plaza have department stores and places to stop for the essentials like Costco, Target and Whole Foods Market. “There’s also Hilton Village,” says Warren. “It has its own downtown with quaint, antique places and a local ice cream parlor. It’s a really cute area.”
In Downtown Norfolk, the MacArthur Center shopping mall has department stores, restaurants and a movie theater. The Norfolk Premium Outlets, which opened in 2017, offers retailers like Nike and Adidas, as well as IKEA. Virginia Beach also has additional shopping and dining districts like Hilltop and Town Center. The city also has several AAA Four Diamond-rated seafood restaurants close to the Oceanfront, including Terrapin Restaurant and Zoës Steak & Seafood.
Fin Seafood serves local seafood and organic produce near Deep Creek.
Richneck residents can get their bulk shopping done at Costco.
Schlesinger's is the locals' favorite steakhouse in Newport News.
Azzurri serves authentic Italian cuisine in Newport News.
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Crime-fighting strategies in Newport News
According to FBI data, Newport News's reported property crime rate is above the state and U.S. figures. The city’s yearly crime reports reflected an increase in crime rates between 2022 and 2023. The Newport News Police Department has begun implementing new strategies to combat crime, including targeting high-crime areas, partnering with other agencies and utilizing new technology
With its location on the coast, Newport News is susceptible to tidal flooding and storm surge during hurricanes. Since the city is situated at the junction between the James River and the Chesapeake Bay, streams and rivers around Newport News can overflow into nearby neighborhoods. Residents also say that flooding occurs when stormwater drains overflow during heavy rains. In 2023, the city announced a $4.9 million grant from the Virginia Community Flood Preparedness Fund to address the stormwater drains, floodplain management and climate change resilience. The city said the project will be completed over a three-year period.
Commuting via I-64, I-664
Interstate 64 takes commuters 20 miles north to Williamsburg and 5 miles south to Hampton. I-64 also connects to the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel, which then splits off into I-264 and gets residents to Downtown Norfolk and Virginia Beach. When the HRBT is congested due to rush-hour traffic or accidents, I-664 and the Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge Tunnel offer an alternate route into Portsmouth and Chesapeake.
Hampton Roads Transit has buses that service most of Newport News. There’s an Amtrak station on Warwick Boulevard with service to Richmond and Washington. In the Kiln Creek neighborhood, the Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport offers flights through American Airlines. There are three hospitals throughout the city: Riverside Regional Medical Center, Sentara Port Warwick and Bon Secours Mary Immaculate Hospital.
Glenn loves living here in the Tidewater area and is excited about helping you with any of your real estate needs. He was born and raised here in Virginia Beach and has been in sales for over 30 years. He absolutely loves being in the ocean surfing or paddle surfing. Life is great and if you have a need to buy or sales real estate in his area, he’s your guy to get the job done.
Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
