Visitor economy
Charles City
County · Coastal Virginia - Hampton Roads. Visitors spent $8.9M here in 2025, up 0.5% on 2024 and up 62.9% on 2019.
$8.9M
Visitor spending, 2025
120 of 133 localities
54
Jobs supported
125 of 133
$0.3M
Local taxes from visitors
125 of 133
$1.8M
Wages paid
$0.2M in state taxes
Ten years of visitor spending
Where the money went in 2025
Food and drink is the largest single category here at $3.0M, 34.1% of everything visitors spent.
- Lodging
- $2.8M31.4%
- Food and drink
- $3.0M34.1%
- Retail
- $0.6M6.3%
- Recreation
- $1.1M12.0%
- Transport
- $1.4M16.3%
Lodging includes short-term rentals and second-home spending. Transport covers both ground and air.
Year by year
| Year | Total | Change | Lodging | Food | Retail | Recreation | Transport | Jobs | Local tax |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $8.9M | +0.5% | $2.8M | $3.0M | $0.6M | $1.1M | $1.4M | 54 | $0.3M |
| 2024 | $8.9M | +13.2% | $2.8M | $3.0M | $0.5M | $1.1M | $1.4M | 55 | $0.3M |
| 2023 | $7.8M | +2.7% | $2.5M | $2.6M | $0.5M | $1.0M | $1.2M | 52 | $0.3M |
| 2022 | $7.6M | +5.3% | $2.5M | $2.5M | $0.5M | $1.0M | $1.2M | 50 | $0.3M |
| 2021 | $7.2M | +44.7% | $2.5M | $2.2M | $0.5M | $0.9M | $1.2M | 48 | $0.2M |
| 2020 | $5.0M | -8.4% | $1.7M | $1.4M | $0.3M | $0.7M | $0.9M | 42 | $0.2M |
| 2019 | $5.5M | +0.1% | $1.7M | $1.6M | $0.4M | $0.7M | $1.0M | 44 | $0.2M |
| 2018 | $5.5M | +2.1% | $1.8M | $1.6M | $0.4M | $0.7M | $1.0M | 46 | $0.2M |
| 2017 | $5.3M | +6.6% | $1.8M | $1.5M | $0.4M | $0.6M | $1.0M | 48 | $0.2M |
| 2016 | $5.0M | — | $1.6M | $1.4M | $0.4M | $0.6M | $0.9M | 47 | $0.2M |
How that compares
- 0.02% of all visitor spending in Virginia, which totalled $36.20B in 2025.
- 0.1% of the Coastal Virginia - Hampton Roads region, which took $7.17B.
- Ranks 120 of 133 Virginia counties and independent cities by visitor spending, and 125 of 133 by the local taxes that spending returns.
- Statewide spending is +3.1% on 2024; Charles City is +0.5%.