Counties in Virginia by wages and salaries paid

Arlington County had the highest wages and salaries paid of 82 counties in 2017, at $18 billion. Highland County had the lowest, at $18.28 million. The median was $284.8 million and the figure for Virginia was $240.85 billion. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest17,998.9Arlington County
Lowest18.3Highland County
Median284.882 counties
Virginia240,848.3History

Map of counties, 2017

Accomack County: 690.3 USD millionAmelia County: 101.5 USD millionAmherst County: 337.7 USD millionAppomattox County: 115.2 USD millionArlington County: 17,998.9 USD millionBath County: 101.8 USD millionBedford County: 797.7 USD millionBland County: 92 USD millionBotetourt County: 466.3 USD millionBrunswick County: 154.3 USD millionBuchanan County: 316.6 USD millionBuckingham County: 140.1 USD millionCaroline County: 257.4 USD millionCharles City County: 85.4 USD millionCharlotte County: 113.1 USD millionChesterfield County: 7,022.8 USD millionClarke County: 197.9 USD millionCraig County: 28.8 USD millionCulpeper County: 731.6 USD millionCumberland County: 54.3 USD millionDickenson County: 142.7 USD millionEssex County: 140.5 USD millionFauquier County: 1,189.6 USD millionFloyd County: 111.4 USD millionFluvanna County: 184.7 USD millionFranklin County: 562.6 USD millionGiles County: 198.6 USD millionGloucester County: 357.2 USD millionGoochland County: 1,684.1 USD millionGrayson County: 96.8 USD millionGreene County: 147.1 USD millionHalifax County: 489.5 USD millionHanover County: 2,486.9 USD millionHenrico County: 11,564.5 USD millionHighland County: 18.3 USD millionIsle of Wight County: 547.6 USD millionKing and Queen County: 47.9 USD millionKing George County: 974.9 USD millionKing William County: 190.3 USD millionLancaster County: 185.9 USD millionLee County: 166.2 USD millionLoudoun County: 11,503.4 USD millionLouisa County: 512.9 USD millionLunenburg County: 101.6 USD millionMadison County: 127.2 USD millionMathews County: 50.6 USD millionMecklenburg County: 439.6 USD millionMiddlesex County: 136.3 USD millionNelson County: 150.8 USD millionNew Kent County: 177.2 USD millionNorthampton County: 158.8 USD millionNorthumberland County: 111.2 USD millionNottoway County: 225.6 USD millionOrange County: 397.9 USD millionPage County: 206.6 USD millionPatrick County: 165.1 USD millionPowhatan County: 312.3 USD millionPrince Edward County: 363 USD millionPulaski County: 548.6 USD millionRappahannock County: 94.4 USD millionRichmond County: 121.1 USD millionRussell County: 315.7 USD millionScott County: 173.6 USD millionShenandoah County: 561.5 USD millionSmyth County: 471.7 USD millionStafford County: 2,462.5 USD millionSurry County: 192.7 USD millionSussex County: 151.1 USD millionTazewell County: 578.8 USD millionWarren County: 529.8 USD millionWestmoreland County: 123.2 USD millionWythe County: 438.7 USD millionAlexandria city: 7,784.3 USD millionChesapeake city: 4,822.9 USD millionHampton city: 3,348.6 USD millionNewport News city: 5,918.1 USD millionNorfolk city: 10,960.1 USD millionPortsmouth city: 2,952.1 USD millionRichmond city: 10,176.9 USD millionRoanoke city: 3,440.4 USD millionSuffolk city: 1,605.3 USD millionVirginia Beach city: 9,876 USD million
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USD million, 2017. Hatched areas have no value for this period. Source: BEA, CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2017

Arlington County: 17,998.9 USD millionArlington County17,998.9Henrico County: 11,564.5 USD millionHenrico County11,564.5Loudoun County: 11,503.4 USD millionLoudoun County11,503.4Norfolk city: 10,960.1 USD millionNorfolk city10,960.1Richmond city: 10,176.9 USD millionRichmond city10,176.9Virginia Beach city: 9,876 USD millionVirginia Beach city9,876Alexandria city: 7,784.3 USD millionAlexandria city7,784.3Chesterfield County: 7,022.8 USD millionChesterfield County7,022.8Newport News city: 5,918.1 USD millionNewport News city5,918.1Chesapeake city: 4,822.9 USD millionChesapeake city4,822.9Roanoke city: 3,440.4 USD millionRoanoke city3,440.4Hampton city: 3,348.6 USD millionHampton city3,348.6Portsmouth city: 2,952.1 USD millionPortsmouth city2,952.1Hanover County: 2,486.9 USD millionHanover County2,486.9Stafford County: 2,462.5 USD millionStafford County2,462.5Goochland County: 1,684.1 USD millionGoochland County1,684.1Suffolk city: 1,605.3 USD millionSuffolk city1,605.3Fauquier County: 1,189.6 USD millionFauquier County1,189.6King George County: 974.9 USD millionKing George County974.9Bedford County: 797.7 USD millionBedford County797.7Culpeper County: 731.6 USD millionCulpeper County731.6Accomack County: 690.3 USD millionAccomack County690.3Tazewell County: 578.8 USD millionTazewell County578.8Franklin County: 562.6 USD millionFranklin County562.6Shenandoah County: 561.5 USD millionShenandoah County561.5Pulaski County: 548.6 USD millionPulaski County548.6Isle of Wight County: 547.6 USD millionIsle of Wight County547.6Warren County: 529.8 USD millionWarren County529.8Louisa County: 512.9 USD millionLouisa County512.9Halifax County: 489.5 USD millionHalifax County489.5Smyth County: 471.7 USD millionSmyth County471.7Botetourt County: 466.3 USD millionBotetourt County466.3Mecklenburg County: 439.6 USD millionMecklenburg County439.6Wythe County: 438.7 USD millionWythe County438.7Orange County: 397.9 USD millionOrange County397.9Prince Edward County: 363 USD millionPrince Edward County363Gloucester County: 357.2 USD millionGloucester County357.2Amherst County: 337.7 USD millionAmherst County337.7Buchanan County: 316.6 USD millionBuchanan County316.6Russell County: 315.7 USD millionRussell County315.7Arlington County: 17,998.9 USD millionArlington County17,998.9Henrico County: 11,564.5 USD millionHenrico County11,564.5Loudoun County: 11,503.4 USD millionLoudoun County11,503.4Norfolk city: 10,960.1 USD millionNorfolk city10,960.1Richmond city: 10,176.9 USD millionRichmond city10,176.9Virginia Beach city: 9,876 USD millionVirginia Beach city9,876Alexandria city: 7,784.3 USD millionAlexandria city7,784.3Chesterfield County: 7,022.8 USD millionChesterfield County7,022.8Newport News city: 5,918.1 USD millionNewport News city5,918.1Chesapeake city: 4,822.9 USD millionChesapeake city4,822.9Roanoke city: 3,440.4 USD millionRoanoke city3,440.4Hampton city: 3,348.6 USD millionHampton city3,348.6Portsmouth city: 2,952.1 USD millionPortsmouth city2,952.1Hanover County: 2,486.9 USD millionHanover County2,486.9Stafford County: 2,462.5 USD millionStafford County2,462.5Goochland County: 1,684.1 USD millionGoochland County1,684.1Suffolk city: 1,605.3 USD millionSuffolk city1,605.3Fauquier County: 1,189.6 USD millionFauquier County1,189.6King George County: 974.9 USD millionKing George County974.9Bedford County: 797.7 USD millionBedford County797.7Culpeper County: 731.6 USD millionCulpeper County731.6Accomack County: 690.3 USD millionAccomack County690.3Tazewell County: 578.8 USD millionTazewell County578.8Franklin County: 562.6 USD millionFranklin County562.6Shenandoah County: 561.5 USD millionShenandoah County561.5Pulaski County: 548.6 USD millionPulaski County548.6Isle of Wight County: 547.6 USD millionIsle of Wight County547.6Warren County: 529.8 USD millionWarren County529.8Louisa County: 512.9 USD millionLouisa County512.9Halifax County: 489.5 USD millionHalifax County489.5Smyth County: 471.7 USD millionSmyth County471.7Botetourt County: 466.3 USD millionBotetourt County466.3Mecklenburg County: 439.6 USD millionMecklenburg County439.6Wythe County: 438.7 USD millionWythe County438.7Orange County: 397.9 USD millionOrange County397.9Prince Edward County: 363 USD millionPrince Edward County363Gloucester County: 357.2 USD millionGloucester County357.2Amherst County: 337.7 USD millionAmherst County337.7Buchanan County: 316.6 USD millionBuchanan County316.6Russell County: 315.7 USD millionRussell County315.7
USD million. Source: BEA, CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2017
USD million
Change on 2016
1Arlington County17,998.9+5.7%
2Henrico County11,564.5+5%
3Loudoun County11,503.4+6.3%
4Norfolk city10,960.1-0.8%
5Richmond city10,176.9+4.2%
6Virginia Beach city9,876+4.2%
7Alexandria city7,784.3+1.6%
8Chesterfield County7,022.8+4.5%
9Newport News city5,918.1+4.5%
10Chesapeake city4,822.9+5.2%
11Roanoke city3,440.4-0.5%
12Hampton city3,348.6+5.5%
13Portsmouth city2,952.1+2.7%
14Hanover County2,486.9+5.1%
15Stafford County2,462.5+5.4%
16Goochland County1,684.1+16.6%
17Suffolk city1,605.3+4.2%
18Fauquier County1,189.6+2.3%
19King George County974.9+4.2%
20Bedford County797.7+1.1%
21Culpeper County731.6+3.4%
22Accomack County690.3+17.1%
23Tazewell County578.8+8.3%
24Franklin County562.6+4%
25Shenandoah County561.5+2.7%
26Pulaski County548.6+3.1%
27Isle of Wight County547.6+3.5%
28Warren County529.8+4.3%
29Louisa County512.9+6.4%
30Halifax County489.5+2.6%
31Smyth County471.7-1.7%
32Botetourt County466.3+4.5%
33Mecklenburg County439.6+2.1%
34Wythe County438.7+2.6%
35Orange County397.9+2.6%
36Prince Edward County363+4.6%
37Gloucester County357.2+3.6%
38Amherst County337.7-1.7%
39Buchanan County316.6+7.5%
40Russell County315.7+1.8%
41Powhatan County312.3-0.7%
42Caroline County257.4+4.1%
43Nottoway County225.6+0.2%
44Page County206.6+3.1%
45Giles County198.6-1.8%
46Clarke County197.9+6.9%
47Surry County192.7+6.3%
48King William County190.3+3.9%
49Lancaster County185.9+3.8%
50Fluvanna County184.7+1.4%
51New Kent County177.2+3.2%
52Scott County173.6+4.3%
53Lee County166.2-1.4%
54Patrick County165.1+2.3%
55Northampton County158.8-8.6%
56Brunswick County154.3-2.2%
57Sussex County151.1+0.8%
58Nelson County150.8+2.5%
59Greene County147.1+2.1%
60Dickenson County142.7+3%
61Essex County140.5+0.1%
62Buckingham County140.1-0%
63Middlesex County136.3+8.2%
64Madison County127.2+2.7%
65Westmoreland County123.2+2%
66Richmond County121.1+1.1%
67Appomattox County115.2+3.8%
68Charlotte County113.1-2.1%
69Floyd County111.4+5.7%
70Northumberland County111.2+4.6%
71Bath County101.8+0.8%
72Lunenburg County101.6+2.2%
73Amelia County101.5+3.7%
74Grayson County96.8+5.6%
75Rappahannock County94.4+5.6%
76Bland County92+4%
77Charles City County85.4+7.6%
78Cumberland County54.3+7%
79Mathews County50.6+0.6%
80King and Queen County47.9+4.2%
81Craig County28.8+2.4%
82Highland County18.3+0.7%

Other periods

About this ranking

Total wages and salaries paid to employees for jobs located in a place, including tips, bonuses and pay in kind, before deductions, in millions of current US dollars. United States: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional accounts, table SAINC4 line 50 for the nation and states and CAINC4 line 50 for counties.

Counted where the jobs are, not where the workers live, so places with many commuters coming in can pay more in wages than their residents receive in personal income (the District of Columbia does). Excludes employer contributions to pensions, insurance and social security, and the income of the self-employed.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the counties are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. (2026). CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents (Counties in Virginia by wages and salaries paid, 2017) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip

MLA 9

CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents, Counties in Virginia by wages and salaries paid, 2017. U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, 5 Feb. 2026, https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/virginia-counties?period=2017. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. 2026. CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. Counties in Virginia by wages and salaries paid, 2017. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/virginia-counties?period=2017.

Harvard

U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (2026) CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents, Counties in Virginia by wages and salaries paid, 2017 [Dataset]. Available at: https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/virginia-counties?period=2017 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_virginia_by_2017,
  author = {{U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis}},
  title = {{CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents: Counties in Virginia by wages and salaries paid, 2017}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/virginia-counties?period=2017. Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis
TI  - CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents: Counties in Virginia by wages and salaries paid, 2017
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/02/05
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/virginia-counties?period=2017
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/virginia-counties?period=2017.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
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Questions

Which county has the highest wages and salaries paid?

Arlington County, with $18 billion in 2017, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Which county has the lowest wages and salaries paid?

Highland County, with $18.28 million in 2017.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Wages and salaries paid: other rankings

Counties in Virginia: more rankings