Visitor economy
Southampton County
County · Coastal Virginia - Hampton Roads. Visitors spent $8.9M here in 2025, up 2.6% on 2024 and down 1.1% on 2019.
$8.9M
Visitor spending, 2025
121 of 133 localities
117
Jobs supported
113 of 133
$0.4M
Local taxes from visitors
119 of 133
$3.1M
Wages paid
$0.3M in state taxes
Ten years of visitor spending
Where the money went in 2025
Transport is the largest single category here at $2.7M, 30.8% of everything visitors spent.
- Lodging
- $2.0M22.7%
- Food and drink
- $2.6M29.3%
- Retail
- $0.6M7.1%
- Recreation
- $0.9M10.1%
- Transport
- $2.7M30.8%
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 | $8.9M | +2.6% | $2.0M | $2.6M | $0.6M | $0.9M | $2.7M | 117 | $0.4M |
| 2024 | $8.6M | -2.4% | $2.0M | $2.4M | $0.6M | $0.9M | $2.7M | 117 | $0.4M |
| 2023 | $8.8M | +1.0% | $2.0M | $2.4M | $0.6M | $0.9M | $2.8M | 118 | $0.4M |
| 2022 | $8.8M | +4.3% | $2.0M | $2.4M | $0.6M | $0.9M | $2.9M | 113 | $0.4M |
| 2021 | $8.4M | +34.0% | $1.9M | $2.3M | $0.6M | $0.9M | $2.7M | 106 | $0.4M |
| 2020 | $6.3M | -30.0% | $1.4M | $1.7M | $0.5M | $0.7M | $2.0M | 103 | $0.3M |
| 2019 | $9.0M | +8.5% | $2.2M | $2.4M | $0.6M | $1.1M | $2.7M | 135 | $0.4M |
| 2018 | $8.3M | +5.5% | $2.1M | $2.2M | $0.6M | $1.0M | $2.4M | 129 | $0.4M |
| 2017 | $7.8M | +0.1% | $2.0M | $2.1M | $0.6M | $1.0M | $2.2M | 128 | $0.4M |
| 2016 | $7.8M | — | $1.9M | $2.1M | $0.6M | $1.0M | $2.2M | 132 | $0.4M |
How that compares
- 0.02% of all visitor spending in Virginia, which totalled $36.20B in 2025.
- 0.1% of the Coastal Virginia - Hampton Roads region, which took $7.17B.
- Ranks 121 of 133 Virginia counties and independent cities by visitor spending, and 119 of 133 by the local taxes that spending returns.
- Statewide spending is +3.1% on 2024; Southampton County is +2.6%.