Suffolk, Virginia
Suffolk is a city of 98,796 people in Suffolk city, Virginia, founded in 1742.
Why visit Suffolk
Townapedia lists 21 museums and landmarks, 18 parks and trails, 84 places to eat, 11 places to stay and 2 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Suffolk Historic District, Building at 216 Bank Street, Colburn Park and Cypress Park and Pool.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 87°F; January lows average 31°F.
Weather in Suffolk
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Suffolk
Suffolk (locally SUF-uuk) is an independent city in Virginia, United States. As of 2020, the population was 94,324. It is the 10th-most populous city in Virginia, the largest city in Virginia by boundary land area as well as the 16th-largest in the country.
From the Wikipedia article Suffolk, Virginia (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do2
Museums and landmarks21
Suffolk Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.8 mi
Historic district in Virginia, USA
Building at 216 Bank Street
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.7 mi
Historic residential building in Virginia, United States
Cedar Hill Cemetery
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.1 mi
Cemetery in Suffolk, Virginia
East Suffolk Complex
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.4 mi
Historic school complex for African-American students located at Suffolk, Virginia
Henry Saunders House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 8.4 mi
Historic home near Windsor, Isle of Wight County, Virginia
Holland Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 7.9 mi
Historic district in Virginia, United States
Joel E. Harrell and Son
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 5.3 mi
Historic pork processing factory complex located at Suffolk, Virginia
Nansemond County Training School
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 10.2 mi
School building in Suffolk, Virginia, United States of America
Phoenix Bank of Nansemond
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.7 mi
Historic bank building located at Suffolk, Virginia
Professional Building
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.6 mi
Building in Suffolk, Virginia
Riddick House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.0 mi
Listed on the NRHP in Virginia
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Somerton Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 11.0 mi
Historic district in Virginia, United States
9 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds18
6 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes84
Al Forno Pizzeria
Restaurant · Pizza · 2.0 mi
2114 Holland Road, Suffolk
Tu-Sa 11:00-21:00; Su 11:00-17:00
Amici's
Restaurant · Italian · 3.6 mi
157 Washington Street, Suffolk
Tu-Th 11:00-21:00; Fr 11:00-22:00; Sa 10:00-22:00; Su 10:00-20:00
The Baron's Pub
Restaurant · Grill · 3.7 mi
185 North Main Street, Suffolk
Mo-Sa 11:00-02:00; Su 12:00-02:00
72 more on the map.
History
Prior to colonization, the region was inhabited by the indigenous Nansemond people. The settlement of Suffolk was established in 1742 by Virginian colonists as a port town on the Nansemond River. It was originally named Constant's Warehouse (for John Constant, one of the first founders of the settlement) before being renamed after Royal Governor of Virginia Sir William Gooch's home county of the same name in England. During the colonial era, Virginian colonists in the region cultivated tobacco with enslaved labor as a cash crop, before transitioning to mixed farming. Suffolk was designated as the county seat of Nansemond County in 1750.
Early in its history, Suffolk became a land transportation gateway to the areas east of it in South Hampton Roads. Before the American Civil War, both the Portsmouth and Roanoke Railroad and the Norfolk and Petersburg Railroad were built through Suffolk, early predecessors of 21st-century Class 1 railroads operated by CSX Transportation and Norfolk Southern, respectively. Other railroads and later major highways followed after the war.
From the History section of Suffolk, Virginia on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay11
Green Pines Motel East
Motel and hotel · 6.7 mi
1274 Portsmouth Boulevard, Suffolk
Super 8 by Wyndham Suffolk Tidewater
Motel and hotel · 4.0 mi
633 Main Street, Suffolk
Churches and places of worship122
Cypress Chapel Christian Church
Church · 6.0 mi
1891 Cypress Chapel Road, Suffolk
Westminster Reformed Presbyterian Church
Church · Presbyterian · 7.0 mi
3488 Godwin Boulevard, Suffolk
Oak Grove Baptist Church
Church · Baptist · 5.7 mi
2635 Washington Street, Suffolk
Capernaum Seventh Day Adventist
Church · Seventh Day Adventist · 3.2 mi
314 York Street, Suffolk
Shopping12
Gas and EV charging29
Schools, colleges and libraries28
Healthcare7
Orthopedic Surgery Center
Clinic and pharmacy · 5.0 mi
2012 Meade Parkway, Suffolk
Suffolk Eye Physicians & Surgeons
Clinic and pharmacy · 5.0 mi
2016 Meade Parkway, Suffolk
Western Tiderwater Mental Health
Clinic and pharmacy · 4.0 mi
404 Finney Avenue, Suffolk
Map of Suffolk
250 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 49°F | 31°F | 3.7 in | 3.1 in |
| Feb | 52°F | 33°F | 3.0 in | 1.5 in |
| Mar | 59°F | 39°F | 4.1 in | 0.3 in |
| Apr | 69°F | 48°F | 3.6 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 76°F | 57°F | 4.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 83°F | 65°F | 4.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 87°F | 70°F | 5.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 85°F | 69°F | 5.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 80°F | 63°F | 5.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 70°F | 52°F | 4.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 60°F | 41°F | 3.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Dec | 53°F | 35°F | 3.7 in | 0.9 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Suffolk Lake Kilby (3 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Suffolk city has had 11 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for hurricanes.
- 2026-01-23: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2020-04-02: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2018-09-11: Hurricane Florence (Hurricane)
- 2016-11-02: Hurricane Matthew (Hurricane)
- 2012-10-29: Hurricane Sandy (Hurricane)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Franklin Municipal Airport (FKN) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 15 miles away.
- Chesapeake 18 mi east, about 30 min by car
- Portsmouth 19 mi northeast, about 31 min by car
- Norfolk 27 mi northeast, about 43 min by car
- Newport News 27 mi north, about 43 min by car
- Hampton 31 mi northeast, about 49 min by car
- Virginia Beach 34 mi east, about 55 min by car
- Poquoson 35 mi northeast, about 56 min by car
- Elizabeth City 36 mi southeast, about 57 min by car
- Gloucester Point 40 mi north, about 1 h by car
- Petersburg 55 mi northwest, about 1 h 30 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Downtown Suffolk, VA, User: Kubigula, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Suffolk Historic District, James Shelton32, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Arthur and Pittmantown I-house, Nyttend, Public domain
- Cedar Hill (7940582236), SIN JONES from http://sinjones.brandyourself.com/ , USA, CC BY 2.0
- William Scott Farmhouse, Nyttend, Public domain
- Professional Building Suffolk VA 21Sep2014, Capt1922, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Nansemond County Training School, Nyttend, Public domain
- Building at 216 Bank St. Suffolk VA 21Sep2014, Capt1922, CC BY-SA 3.0
- East Suffolk Complex 2016a, Antony-22, CC BY-SA 4.0
- West End District Suffolk 2016, Antony-22, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Riddick's Folley, Ray7judy, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Quay south of rails, Holland, Nyttend, Public domain
- Phoenix Bank of Nansemond 21SEP2014, Capt1922, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Joel E. Harrell and Son office building, Nyttend, Public domain
- Henry Saunders House, Nyttend, Public domain
- Whaleyville, Virginia (8599494194), Doug Kerr from Albany, NY, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Suffolk Peanut Company complex, Nyttend, Public domain
- Cypress Chapel, Mojo Hand, CC BY-SA 4.0
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