$113,840Average Value$150Average Price per Sq Ft2Homes For Sale
A small town in Ohio with an abundance of outdoor activities
Portsmouth is a small city of about 18,000 people in southern Ohio. Located along the Ohio and Scioto rivers, many residents move here for the area's abundant outdoor activities and for its proximity to the Shawnee State Forest. Major employers include the Southern Ohio Medical Center, Shawnee State University and several substance abuse rehabilitation centers that have opened following the city's opioid crisis in the early 2000s. "It's a small-town community with all of the necessities you need from a big city. We have a hospital, a university and lots of outdoor recreation activities," says Jason Hedrick, Deputy Chief of the Portsmouth Police Department. "Housing costs attract people, as well as job opportunities. The housing is much more reasonable in our area compared to going an hour in any direction. That attracts people to our area, [and] that the cost of living is so much lower than elsewhere."
Portsmouth is a small city of about 18,000 people in southern Ohio along the Ohio River.
Portsmouth has abundant outdoor activities to explore with a friend.
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Historic housing in Portsmouth
Portsmouth has an older housing stock comprised primarily of American Foursquares, bungalows and ranch-style homes. "We don't see a lot of single-family houses being built within the city," Hedrick says. "There's not a lot of vacant areas, but we do have some older houses that people rehab." Portsmouth's median price is $127,000, which is about $275,000 below the national median. Despite this, the average home value in Portsmouth has steadily increased since 2020.
Portsmouth has plenty older housing including American Foursquares, bungalows, and ranches.
Portsmouth has homes that date back to the early 20th century such as this victorian home.
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The Ohio River and the Shawnee State Forest
Portsmouth sits along the Ohio River and borders the Shawnee State Forest, which means the area offers an abundance of outdoor activities. Along the river, residents can enjoy fishing, hiking, archery and horseback riding. The state forest also presents opportunities for camping, hunting and foraging for mushrooms or berries.
Portsmouth is near Shawnee State Forest which offers an abundance of outdoor activities.
The U.S Grant Bridge connects Portsmouth to Kentucky over the Ohio River.
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Portsmouth City School District, the Notre Dame Schools and Shawnee State University
The Portsmouth City School District earns a C-plus rating from Niche and serves around 1,600 students. The district has two elementary schools and one combination middle and high school for grades seven through twelve. The Notre Dame School is a private school option in Portsmouth with preschool, elementary and high school campuses. The high school earns a B rating from Niche and is ranked by the site as one of Ohio's top 150 private high schools. Shawnee State University is a public university that enrolls about 3,000 students in Portsmouth annually.
Shawnee State University enrolls about 3,000 students in Portsmouth.
Portsmouth is home to Shawnee State University which is known for their nursing program.
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Dining in downtown Portsmouth
"Downtown is mostly restaurants and some retirement homes and grocery stores," Hedrick says. "There's been a lot of development in the downtown area. New restaurants are opening up in older buildings, and the university took an old building and rehabbed it into an innovation hub where they're bringing in gaming manufacturers." Dining options in downtown Portsmouth include The Scioto Ribber, known for its hickory-smoked ribs; Toro Loco Mexican Restaurant, a family-owned business featuring homemade tamales; and The Portsmouth Brewing Co., a riverside microbrewery serving American fare.
The Scioto Ribber, known for its hickory-smoked ribs, is highly regarded in Portsmouth.
The Portsmouth Brewing Co. is a popular microbrewery serving American fare in Portsmouth.
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The Portsmouth Police Department and flooding concerns
When asked about crime, Hedrick explains, "We're the epicenter of the pill mill explosion that happened 20 years ago. Oxycodone was inserted in our area, and kind of exploded. We've been through a lot of drug use and crime related to drug addiction. In recent years, there's been a lot of funding towards treatment centers, and there's been a dramatic increase in treatment centers in our area. It's very good for employment, but unfortunately, we do still have high drug availability in our area." FBI data shows that the Portsmouth Police Department's property crime rate has decreased since 2020, while its violent crime rate has remained about the same. Hedrick says that the city's greatest weather concern is flooding because of its location where the Ohio and Scioto rivers meet. "The river does come up, and every five years or so, they'll have to close the floodgates, and that limits access to certain areas of the city," he says. "Countywide, we have several floods a year that cause damage."
Access Scioto County, Amtrak's Cardinal route and the Tri-State Airport in Ceredo, WV
U.S. Routes 23 and 52 serve Portsmouth. Access Scioto County provides door-to-door transit services for Scioto County. Amtrak has a station 3 miles south in South Shore, Kentucky, serviced by its Cardinal route, which connects New York City to Chicago. Portsmouth's nearest commercial airport is the Tri-State Airport in Ceredo, West Virginia, 53 miles southeast.
River Days Festival
River Days is a festival that has been held every Labor Day weekend in Portsmouth for over 60 years. The event includes a pageant, parade, food trucks and carnival games, along with plenty of live music.
Written By
Ellen Daly
Photography Contributed By
Nick Janning
Video By
Patrick Johnson
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Reach out to
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GreatSchools:
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
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On average, homes in Portsmouth, OH sell after 54 days on the market compared to the national average of 70 days. The median sale price for homes in Portsmouth, OH over the last 12 months is $196,000, up 1860% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
Looking for an affordable build lot in Southern Ohio to set up a cabin or camper? Take a look at this 4 +/- acres in Scioto County, Ohio! This would be the perfect location for a homebase to commute to all the public hunting grounds in the area. Conveniently located near State Route 823 and just minutes from Routes 52 and 139, this parcel sits on a quiet, low-traffic state route with a nice mix
Are you looking for enough land to have horses? Cows? Goats or Sheep? A touch more than 10 acres? Room to grow? Or a quiet country retreat? This peaceful country-living setting is a newly renovated home nestled in a semi-secluded setting that offers the convenience of high-speed internet while enjoying the wonders of the countryside. Whether you like watching the changing of the seasons, amazing
New on the market! This lovely remodeled home features three bedrooms with a full bath, all new appliances, and flooring throughout. Situated on a large lot in a prime area of State Route 139, it would make a perfect home with plenty of space for family and friends! The home has a new furnace, hot water tank and a one car garage. It is gas heat and has city water and public sewer. A lot of care
Looking for an affordable build lot in Southern Ohio to set up a cabin or camper? Take a look at this 4 +/- acres in Scioto County, Ohio! This would be the perfect location for a homebase to commute to all the public hunting grounds in the area. Conveniently located near State Route 823 and just minutes from Routes 52 and 139, this parcel sits on a quiet, low-traffic state route with a nice mix
Are you looking for enough land to have horses? Cows? Goats or Sheep? A touch more than 10 acres? Room to grow? Or a quiet country retreat? This peaceful country-living setting is a newly renovated home nestled in a semi-secluded setting that offers the convenience of high-speed internet while enjoying the wonders of the countryside. Whether you like watching the changing of the seasons, amazing
New on the market! This lovely remodeled home features three bedrooms with a full bath, all new appliances, and flooring throughout. Situated on a large lot in a prime area of State Route 139, it would make a perfect home with plenty of space for family and friends! The home has a new furnace, hot water tank and a one car garage. It is gas heat and has city water and public sewer. A lot of care
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