Visitor economy
Staunton
Independent city · Shenandoah Valley. Visitors spent $83M here in 2025, up 7.0% on 2024 and up 24.9% on 2019.
$83M
Visitor spending, 2025
56 of 133 localities
870
Jobs supported
50 of 133
$4.5M
Local taxes from visitors
50 of 133
$27M
Wages paid
$2.6M in state taxes
Ten years of visitor spending
Where the money went in 2025
Food and drink is the largest single category here at $37M, 44.1% of everything visitors spent.
- Lodging
- $20M24.6%
- Food and drink
- $37M44.1%
- Retail
- $6.7M8.1%
- Recreation
- $9.6M11.6%
- Transport
- $9.6M11.6%
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 | $83M | +7.0% | $20M | $37M | $6.7M | $9.6M | $9.6M | 870 | $4.5M |
| 2024 | $77M | -2.2% | $19M | $33M | $6.2M | $9.3M | $9.3M | 864 | $4.2M |
| 2023 | $79M | +2.0% | $20M | $33M | $6.4M | $9.7M | $9.7M | 866 | $4.3M |
| 2022 | $78M | +23.0% | $20M | $32M | $6.3M | $9.4M | $10.0M | 841 | $4.2M |
| 2021 | $63M | +39.6% | $16M | $26M | $5.9M | $7.3M | $8.5M | 698 | $3.3M |
| 2020 | $45M | -31.9% | $11M | $19M | $4.3M | $5.3M | $5.9M | 687 | $2.6M |
| 2019 | $66M | +15.5% | $17M | $27M | $6.1M | $7.6M | $7.9M | 912 | $3.7M |
| 2018 | $58M | +11.6% | $15M | $23M | $6.0M | $7.0M | $7.1M | 876 | $3.2M |
| 2017 | $52M | -0.3% | $12M | $20M | $5.6M | $6.5M | $6.8M | 865 | $3.0M |
| 2016 | $52M | — | $12M | $21M | $5.7M | $6.5M | $6.6M | 878 | $3.1M |
How that compares
- 0.23% of all visitor spending in Virginia, which totalled $36.20B in 2025.
- 4.8% of the Shenandoah Valley region, which took $1.74B.
- Ranks 56 of 133 Virginia counties and independent cities by visitor spending, and 50 of 133 by the local taxes that spending returns.
- Statewide spending is +3.1% on 2024; Staunton is +7.0%.