Visitor economy
Franklin County
County · Virginia Mountains. Visitors spent $81M here in 2025, up 7.9% on 2024 and up 41.5% on 2019.
$81M
Visitor spending, 2025
58 of 133 localities
567
Jobs supported
60 of 133
$3.2M
Local taxes from visitors
62 of 133
$17M
Wages paid
$1.6M in state taxes
Ten years of visitor spending
Where the money went in 2025
Lodging is the largest single category here at $31M, 38.1% of everything visitors spent.
- Lodging
- $31M38.1%
- Food and drink
- $19M23.1%
- Retail
- $4.4M5.4%
- Recreation
- $8.8M10.9%
- Transport
- $18M22.5%
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 | $81M | +7.9% | $31M | $19M | $4.4M | $8.8M | $18M | 567 | $3.2M |
| 2024 | $75M | +3.4% | $29M | $17M | $3.9M | $8.1M | $17M | 547 | $2.9M |
| 2023 | $72M | +6.3% | $29M | $16M | $3.8M | $8.0M | $16M | 532 | $2.8M |
| 2022 | $68M | +3.6% | $27M | $15M | $3.5M | $7.5M | $15M | 512 | $2.7M |
| 2021 | $66M | +35.2% | $27M | $13M | $3.4M | $7.0M | $15M | 468 | $2.4M |
| 2020 | $48M | -14.8% | $23M | $8.8M | $2.5M | $3.7M | $10M | 440 | $1.9M |
| 2019 | $57M | +2.7% | $24M | $12M | $2.9M | $4.8M | $13M | 496 | $2.3M |
| 2018 | $55M | +6.2% | $23M | $12M | $2.9M | $4.7M | $13M | 486 | $2.2M |
| 2017 | $52M | +3.8% | $22M | $11M | $2.7M | $4.3M | $12M | 481 | $2.2M |
| 2016 | $50M | — | $21M | $10M | $2.7M | $4.3M | $11M | 481 | $2.2M |
How that compares
- 0.22% of all visitor spending in Virginia, which totalled $36.20B in 2025.
- 6.5% of the Virginia Mountains region, which took $1.24B.
- Ranks 58 of 133 Virginia counties and independent cities by visitor spending, and 62 of 133 by the local taxes that spending returns.
- Statewide spending is +3.1% on 2024; Franklin County is +7.9%.