Visitor economy
Lynchburg
Independent city · Central Virginia. Visitors spent $272M here in 2025, up 4.2% on 2024 and up 32.1% on 2019.
$272M
Visitor spending, 2025
22 of 133 localities
3,074
Jobs supported
18 of 133
$13M
Local taxes from visitors
23 of 133
$82M
Wages paid
$8.6M in state taxes
Ten years of visitor spending
Where the money went in 2025
Food and drink is the largest single category here at $117M, 42.9% of everything visitors spent.
- Lodging
- $56M20.6%
- Food and drink
- $117M42.9%
- Retail
- $31M11.4%
- Recreation
- $32M11.6%
- Transport
- $37M13.4%
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 | $272M | +4.2% | $56M | $117M | $31M | $32M | $37M | 3,074 | $13M |
| 2024 | $261M | +2.5% | $54M | $109M | $31M | $31M | $36M | 3,062 | $13M |
| 2023 | $255M | +6.3% | $53M | $106M | $31M | $30M | $36M | 3,025 | $13M |
| 2022 | $240M | +10.3% | $51M | $95M | $30M | $28M | $35M | 2,912 | $12M |
| 2021 | $218M | +36.2% | $47M | $85M | $28M | $24M | $32M | 2,507 | $11M |
| 2020 | $160M | -22.5% | $34M | $61M | $24M | $16M | $26M | 2,445 | $8.8M |
| 2019 | $206M | -3.8% | $45M | $78M | $30M | $23M | $31M | 2,890 | $11M |
| 2018 | $214M | +7.4% | $46M | $83M | $30M | $24M | $31M | 2,932 | $11M |
| 2017 | $200M | -0.3% | $42M | $78M | $29M | $22M | $29M | 2,845 | $11M |
| 2016 | $200M | — | $42M | $78M | $29M | $23M | $28M | 2,926 | $11M |
How that compares
- 0.75% of all visitor spending in Virginia, which totalled $36.20B in 2025.
- 4.3% of the Central Virginia region, which took $6.33B.
- Ranks 22 of 133 Virginia counties and independent cities by visitor spending, and 23 of 133 by the local taxes that spending returns.
- Statewide spending is +3.1% on 2024; Lynchburg is +4.2%.