Visitor economy
Lexington
Independent city · Shenandoah Valley. Visitors spent $71M here in 2025, up 2.9% on 2024 and up 60.9% on 2019.
$71M
Visitor spending, 2025
62 of 133 localities
564
Jobs supported
61 of 133
$3.2M
Local taxes from visitors
59 of 133
$23M
Wages paid
$2.3M in state taxes
Ten years of visitor spending
Where the money went in 2025
Food and drink is the largest single category here at $29M, 41.1% of everything visitors spent.
- Lodging
- $20M28.7%
- Food and drink
- $29M41.1%
- Retail
- $6.2M8.8%
- Recreation
- $10M14.5%
- Transport
- $4.9M6.9%
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 | $71M | +2.9% | $20M | $29M | $6.2M | $10M | $4.9M | 564 | $3.2M |
| 2024 | $69M | +6.1% | $20M | $28M | $6.1M | $10M | $4.8M | 558 | $3.2M |
| 2023 | $65M | +3.1% | $19M | $26M | $5.6M | $9.6M | $4.6M | 542 | $3.0M |
| 2022 | $63M | +19.1% | $19M | $25M | $5.3M | $9.5M | $4.6M | 515 | $2.9M |
| 2021 | $53M | +71.6% | $15M | $21M | $4.7M | $7.8M | $4.3M | 394 | $2.4M |
| 2020 | $31M | -30.1% | $6.4M | $13M | $3.3M | $4.5M | $3.2M | 334 | $1.7M |
| 2019 | $44M | +4.2% | $11M | $17M | $4.7M | $6.8M | $4.2M | 464 | $2.3M |
| 2018 | $42M | +5.7% | $11M | $16M | $4.6M | $6.6M | $4.0M | 450 | $2.2M |
| 2017 | $40M | +1.0% | $10M | $15M | $4.5M | $6.4M | $3.9M | 446 | $2.2M |
| 2016 | $40M | — | $9.8M | $15M | $4.4M | $6.9M | $3.7M | 459 | $2.2M |
How that compares
- 0.20% of all visitor spending in Virginia, which totalled $36.20B in 2025.
- 4.1% of the Shenandoah Valley region, which took $1.74B.
- Ranks 62 of 133 Virginia counties and independent cities by visitor spending, and 59 of 133 by the local taxes that spending returns.
- Statewide spending is +3.1% on 2024; Lexington is +2.9%.