Visitor economy
Nelson County
County · Central Virginia. Visitors spent $93M here in 2025, up 3.5% on 2024 and up 16.5% on 2019.
$93M
Visitor spending, 2025
52 of 133 localities
636
Jobs supported
56 of 133
$4.0M
Local taxes from visitors
53 of 133
$20M
Wages paid
$2.1M in state taxes
Ten years of visitor spending
Where the money went in 2025
Lodging is the largest single category here at $37M, 39.9% of everything visitors spent.
- Lodging
- $37M39.9%
- Food and drink
- $21M22.5%
- Retail
- $10M11.1%
- Recreation
- $13M13.9%
- Transport
- $12M12.6%
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 | $93M | +3.5% | $37M | $21M | $10M | $13M | $12M | 636 | $4.0M |
| 2024 | $90M | -1.5% | $35M | $21M | $9.8M | $13M | $11M | 636 | $3.7M |
| 2023 | $91M | +5.2% | $35M | $20M | $10M | $14M | $11M | 640 | $3.7M |
| 2022 | $86M | +4.1% | $34M | $19M | $9.6M | $13M | $11M | 619 | $3.5M |
| 2021 | $83M | +27.7% | $33M | $18M | $9.1M | $12M | $11M | 603 | $3.3M |
| 2020 | $65M | -18.3% | $29M | $12M | $6.6M | $7.3M | $9.7M | 581 | $2.7M |
| 2019 | $80M | +5.6% | $34M | $18M | $7.7M | $9.7M | $11M | 711 | $3.2M |
| 2018 | $75M | +2.4% | $32M | $17M | $7.5M | $8.8M | $10M | 709 | $3.1M |
| 2017 | $74M | +4.2% | $33M | $16M | $7.0M | $8.0M | $9.5M | 709 | $3.1M |
| 2016 | $71M | — | $32M | $15M | $6.8M | $7.8M | $9.0M | 701 | $3.1M |
How that compares
- 0.26% of all visitor spending in Virginia, which totalled $36.20B in 2025.
- 1.5% of the Central Virginia region, which took $6.33B.
- Ranks 52 of 133 Virginia counties and independent cities by visitor spending, and 53 of 133 by the local taxes that spending returns.
- Statewide spending is +3.1% on 2024; Nelson County is +3.5%.