Visitor economy
Rockbridge County
County · Shenandoah Valley. Visitors spent $157M here in 2025, up 5.5% on 2024 and up 10.1% on 2019.
$157M
Visitor spending, 2025
33 of 133 localities
1,288
Jobs supported
36 of 133
$8.4M
Local taxes from visitors
32 of 133
$46M
Wages paid
$4.3M in state taxes
Ten years of visitor spending
Where the money went in 2025
Transport is the largest single category here at $43M, 27.7% of everything visitors spent.
- Lodging
- $40M25.6%
- Food and drink
- $22M14.3%
- Retail
- $32M20.2%
- Recreation
- $19M12.2%
- Transport
- $43M27.7%
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 | $157M | +5.5% | $40M | $22M | $32M | $19M | $43M | 1,288 | $8.4M |
| 2024 | $148M | +0.5% | $37M | $21M | $30M | $19M | $41M | 1,273 | $7.9M |
| 2023 | $148M | -0.1% | $38M | $20M | $30M | $19M | $41M | 1,270 | $7.8M |
| 2022 | $148M | +5.7% | $38M | $19M | $29M | $19M | $43M | 1,264 | $7.6M |
| 2021 | $140M | +38.5% | $37M | $17M | $27M | $18M | $41M | 1,199 | $6.9M |
| 2020 | $101M | -29.0% | $25M | $12M | $19M | $14M | $31M | 1,177 | $5.2M |
| 2019 | $142M | +0.3% | $38M | $19M | $28M | $17M | $41M | 1,465 | $7.0M |
| 2018 | $142M | +4.6% | $38M | $18M | $28M | $17M | $41M | 1,477 | $7.0M |
| 2017 | $136M | +3.1% | $37M | $17M | $26M | $16M | $39M | 1,464 | $6.9M |
| 2016 | $132M | — | $35M | $17M | $26M | $16M | $37M | 1,461 | $6.8M |
How that compares
- 0.43% of all visitor spending in Virginia, which totalled $36.20B in 2025.
- 9.0% of the Shenandoah Valley region, which took $1.74B.
- Ranks 33 of 133 Virginia counties and independent cities by visitor spending, and 32 of 133 by the local taxes that spending returns.
- Statewide spending is +3.1% on 2024; Rockbridge County is +5.5%.