Counties in Virginia by wages and salaries paid

Arlington County had the highest wages and salaries paid of 82 counties in 2018, at $19.08 billion. Highland County had the lowest, at $18.09 million. The median was $291.23 million and the figure for Virginia was $250.39 billion. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest19,080.2Arlington County
Lowest18.1Highland County
Median291.282 counties
Virginia250,392.3History

Map of counties, 2018

Accomack County: 745.5 USD millionAmelia County: 103.4 USD millionAmherst County: 346.4 USD millionAppomattox County: 120.4 USD millionArlington County: 19,080.2 USD millionBath County: 97.5 USD millionBedford County: 829 USD millionBland County: 98.1 USD millionBotetourt County: 510.9 USD millionBrunswick County: 144.1 USD millionBuchanan County: 336.1 USD millionBuckingham County: 142.3 USD millionCaroline County: 264.8 USD millionCharles City County: 89.6 USD millionCharlotte County: 112.7 USD millionChesterfield County: 7,379.9 USD millionClarke County: 197.8 USD millionCraig County: 29.2 USD millionCulpeper County: 760.9 USD millionCumberland County: 51.2 USD millionDickenson County: 146.4 USD millionEssex County: 140.1 USD millionFauquier County: 1,255.3 USD millionFloyd County: 118.7 USD millionFluvanna County: 196.8 USD millionFranklin County: 587.3 USD millionGiles County: 211.5 USD millionGloucester County: 374.2 USD millionGoochland County: 1,714.2 USD millionGrayson County: 100.2 USD millionGreene County: 149.2 USD millionHalifax County: 494.8 USD millionHanover County: 2,577.2 USD millionHenrico County: 11,787.2 USD millionHighland County: 18.1 USD millionIsle of Wight County: 563.7 USD millionKing and Queen County: 49 USD millionKing George County: 1,008.4 USD millionKing William County: 199.1 USD millionLancaster County: 188.8 USD millionLee County: 163.2 USD millionLoudoun County: 12,396.3 USD millionLouisa County: 549.2 USD millionLunenburg County: 103.3 USD millionMadison County: 123.8 USD millionMathews County: 54.5 USD millionMecklenburg County: 450.5 USD millionMiddlesex County: 138.5 USD millionNelson County: 158.7 USD millionNew Kent County: 188.2 USD millionNorthampton County: 147.7 USD millionNorthumberland County: 123.8 USD millionNottoway County: 233.8 USD millionOrange County: 408.3 USD millionPage County: 217.9 USD millionPatrick County: 162.5 USD millionPowhatan County: 323.5 USD millionPrince Edward County: 378.3 USD millionPulaski County: 615.6 USD millionRappahannock County: 63.2 USD millionRichmond County: 133.6 USD millionRussell County: 317.7 USD millionScott County: 183.3 USD millionShenandoah County: 602.3 USD millionSmyth County: 479.9 USD millionStafford County: 2,626.3 USD millionSurry County: 217 USD millionSussex County: 152.3 USD millionTazewell County: 609.5 USD millionWarren County: 570.2 USD millionWestmoreland County: 128.2 USD millionWythe County: 443.7 USD millionAlexandria city: 7,933.8 USD millionChesapeake city: 5,059.6 USD millionHampton city: 3,332.9 USD millionNewport News city: 6,196.9 USD millionNorfolk city: 10,468.5 USD millionPortsmouth city: 2,967.3 USD millionRichmond city: 10,566.2 USD millionRoanoke city: 3,542.9 USD millionSuffolk city: 1,674.9 USD millionVirginia Beach city: 9,872.6 USD million
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USD million, 2018. 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, 2018

Arlington County: 19,080.2 USD millionArlington County19,080.2Loudoun County: 12,396.3 USD millionLoudoun County12,396.3Henrico County: 11,787.2 USD millionHenrico County11,787.2Richmond city: 10,566.2 USD millionRichmond city10,566.2Norfolk city: 10,468.5 USD millionNorfolk city10,468.5Virginia Beach city: 9,872.6 USD millionVirginia Beach city9,872.6Alexandria city: 7,933.8 USD millionAlexandria city7,933.8Chesterfield County: 7,379.9 USD millionChesterfield County7,379.9Newport News city: 6,196.9 USD millionNewport News city6,196.9Chesapeake city: 5,059.6 USD millionChesapeake city5,059.6Roanoke city: 3,542.9 USD millionRoanoke city3,542.9Hampton city: 3,332.9 USD millionHampton city3,332.9Portsmouth city: 2,967.3 USD millionPortsmouth city2,967.3Stafford County: 2,626.3 USD millionStafford County2,626.3Hanover County: 2,577.2 USD millionHanover County2,577.2Goochland County: 1,714.2 USD millionGoochland County1,714.2Suffolk city: 1,674.9 USD millionSuffolk city1,674.9Fauquier County: 1,255.3 USD millionFauquier County1,255.3King George County: 1,008.4 USD millionKing George County1,008.4Bedford County: 829 USD millionBedford County829Culpeper County: 760.9 USD millionCulpeper County760.9Accomack County: 745.5 USD millionAccomack County745.5Pulaski County: 615.6 USD millionPulaski County615.6Tazewell County: 609.5 USD millionTazewell County609.5Shenandoah County: 602.3 USD millionShenandoah County602.3Franklin County: 587.3 USD millionFranklin County587.3Warren County: 570.2 USD millionWarren County570.2Isle of Wight County: 563.7 USD millionIsle of Wight County563.7Louisa County: 549.2 USD millionLouisa County549.2Botetourt County: 510.9 USD millionBotetourt County510.9Halifax County: 494.8 USD millionHalifax County494.8Smyth County: 479.9 USD millionSmyth County479.9Mecklenburg County: 450.5 USD millionMecklenburg County450.5Wythe County: 443.7 USD millionWythe County443.7Orange County: 408.3 USD millionOrange County408.3Prince Edward County: 378.3 USD millionPrince Edward County378.3Gloucester County: 374.2 USD millionGloucester County374.2Amherst County: 346.4 USD millionAmherst County346.4Buchanan County: 336.1 USD millionBuchanan County336.1Powhatan County: 323.5 USD millionPowhatan County323.5Arlington County: 19,080.2 USD millionArlington County19,080.2Loudoun County: 12,396.3 USD millionLoudoun County12,396.3Henrico County: 11,787.2 USD millionHenrico County11,787.2Richmond city: 10,566.2 USD millionRichmond city10,566.2Norfolk city: 10,468.5 USD millionNorfolk city10,468.5Virginia Beach city: 9,872.6 USD millionVirginia Beach city9,872.6Alexandria city: 7,933.8 USD millionAlexandria city7,933.8Chesterfield County: 7,379.9 USD millionChesterfield County7,379.9Newport News city: 6,196.9 USD millionNewport News city6,196.9Chesapeake city: 5,059.6 USD millionChesapeake city5,059.6Roanoke city: 3,542.9 USD millionRoanoke city3,542.9Hampton city: 3,332.9 USD millionHampton city3,332.9Portsmouth city: 2,967.3 USD millionPortsmouth city2,967.3Stafford County: 2,626.3 USD millionStafford County2,626.3Hanover County: 2,577.2 USD millionHanover County2,577.2Goochland County: 1,714.2 USD millionGoochland County1,714.2Suffolk city: 1,674.9 USD millionSuffolk city1,674.9Fauquier County: 1,255.3 USD millionFauquier County1,255.3King George County: 1,008.4 USD millionKing George County1,008.4Bedford County: 829 USD millionBedford County829Culpeper County: 760.9 USD millionCulpeper County760.9Accomack County: 745.5 USD millionAccomack County745.5Pulaski County: 615.6 USD millionPulaski County615.6Tazewell County: 609.5 USD millionTazewell County609.5Shenandoah County: 602.3 USD millionShenandoah County602.3Franklin County: 587.3 USD millionFranklin County587.3Warren County: 570.2 USD millionWarren County570.2Isle of Wight County: 563.7 USD millionIsle of Wight County563.7Louisa County: 549.2 USD millionLouisa County549.2Botetourt County: 510.9 USD millionBotetourt County510.9Halifax County: 494.8 USD millionHalifax County494.8Smyth County: 479.9 USD millionSmyth County479.9Mecklenburg County: 450.5 USD millionMecklenburg County450.5Wythe County: 443.7 USD millionWythe County443.7Orange County: 408.3 USD millionOrange County408.3Prince Edward County: 378.3 USD millionPrince Edward County378.3Gloucester County: 374.2 USD millionGloucester County374.2Amherst County: 346.4 USD millionAmherst County346.4Buchanan County: 336.1 USD millionBuchanan County336.1Powhatan County: 323.5 USD millionPowhatan County323.5
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

RankCounties2018
USD million
Change on 2017
1Arlington County19,080.2+6%
2Loudoun County12,396.3+7.8%
3Henrico County11,787.2+1.9%
4Richmond city10,566.2+3.8%
5Norfolk city10,468.5-4.5%
6Virginia Beach city9,872.6-0%
7Alexandria city7,933.8+1.9%
8Chesterfield County7,379.9+5.1%
9Newport News city6,196.9+4.7%
10Chesapeake city5,059.6+4.9%
11Roanoke city3,542.9+3%
12Hampton city3,332.9-0.5%
13Portsmouth city2,967.3+0.5%
14Stafford County2,626.3+6.7%
15Hanover County2,577.2+3.6%
16Goochland County1,714.2+1.8%
17Suffolk city1,674.9+4.3%
18Fauquier County1,255.3+5.5%
19King George County1,008.4+3.4%
20Bedford County829+3.9%
21Culpeper County760.9+4%
22Accomack County745.5+8%
23Pulaski County615.6+12.2%
24Tazewell County609.5+5.3%
25Shenandoah County602.3+7.3%
26Franklin County587.3+4.4%
27Warren County570.2+7.6%
28Isle of Wight County563.7+2.9%
29Louisa County549.2+7.1%
30Botetourt County510.9+9.5%
31Halifax County494.8+1.1%
32Smyth County479.9+1.8%
33Mecklenburg County450.5+2.5%
34Wythe County443.7+1.2%
35Orange County408.3+2.6%
36Prince Edward County378.3+4.2%
37Gloucester County374.2+4.8%
38Amherst County346.4+2.6%
39Buchanan County336.1+6.2%
40Powhatan County323.5+3.6%
41Russell County317.7+0.6%
42Caroline County264.8+2.9%
43Nottoway County233.8+3.6%
44Page County217.9+5.5%
45Surry County217+12.6%
46Giles County211.5+6.5%
47King William County199.1+4.6%
48Clarke County197.8-0.1%
49Fluvanna County196.8+6.5%
50Lancaster County188.8+1.5%
51New Kent County188.2+6.2%
52Scott County183.3+5.6%
53Lee County163.2-1.8%
54Patrick County162.5-1.6%
55Nelson County158.7+5.3%
56Sussex County152.3+0.8%
57Greene County149.2+1.5%
58Northampton County147.7-7%
59Dickenson County146.4+2.6%
60Brunswick County144.1-6.6%
61Buckingham County142.3+1.5%
62Essex County140.1-0.3%
63Middlesex County138.5+1.6%
64Richmond County133.6+10.3%
65Westmoreland County128.2+4.1%
66Northumberland County123.8+11.4%
67Madison County123.8-2.7%
68Appomattox County120.4+4.6%
69Floyd County118.7+6.6%
70Charlotte County112.7-0.4%
71Amelia County103.4+1.9%
72Lunenburg County103.3+1.6%
73Grayson County100.2+3.5%
74Bland County98.1+6.7%
75Bath County97.5-4.3%
76Charles City County89.6+4.9%
77Rappahannock County63.2-33.1%
78Mathews County54.5+7.8%
79Cumberland County51.2-5.7%
80King and Queen County49+2.2%
81Craig County29.2+1.3%
82Highland County18.1-1%

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, 2018) [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, 2018. 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=2018. 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, 2018. 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=2018.

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, 2018 [Dataset]. Available at: https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/virginia-counties?period=2018 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_virginia_by_2018,
  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, 2018}},
  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=2018. 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, 2018
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=2018
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/virginia-counties?period=2018.
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 $19.08 billion in 2018, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Which county has the lowest wages and salaries paid?

Highland County, with $18.09 million in 2018.

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