Photo: DanRVA · CC BY-SA 4.0Virginia Beach spent less per resident in 2022 than 79% of similar cities
Virginia Beach’s city government spent $2.1 billion on day-to-day services in the year to June 30, 2024, about $4,528 per resident. Water and other utilities ($57.3 million) are counted separately.
What stands out about how Virginia Beach is run
Read from the city’s budget and official records.
$4,079 per resident in 2022: less than 79% of them
Virginia Beach’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($4,079 per resident, hospital and utilities left out) against 34 Virginia State cities that run their own schools: the median was $4,758, and the middle half spent $4,277–$5,540. Virginia Beach spent less than 79% of them.
Includes sewer and trash ($93.9 million), as the Census Bureau counts them. Later years come from a Census sample, so the comparison stays on 2022. How Town Hall compares budgets →
Virginia State cities that run their own schools, 2022 Census of Governments (every government counted that year; Virginia Beach itself left out).
About $4,528 per resident a year, or $12.41 a day
Schools are part of the city’s budget, so they lead the receipt: 50% of day-to-day spending.
Thank you for being a neighbor
Virginia Beach runs its own schools, so school spending is part of this budget. Comparisons are with Virginia State cities that run their own schools.
Day-to-day spending is up 12% since 2022
Day-to-day services, in dollars, in the years Virginia Beach reported to the Census Bureau. Prices rose too: about 4% a year in 2022–2024.
Day-to-day spending by fiscal year
Per resident: 2022: $4,079 · 2023: $4,276 · 2024: $4,528.
full-time in March 2025, up from 15,738 in 2022.
Building projects, interest and enterprises (hospital, utilities) are left out, so a big construction year doesn’t read as growth.
The typical homeowner pays $3,061 a year
Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 0.80% of the home’s value, vs 0.73% across Virginia State.
Typical yearly bill next door and statewide
The Housing page’s calculator splits a monthly payment into loan, tax and insurance at Virginia Beach’s rate.
Can I afford it? →The median bill homeowners report to the Census survey (bills of $10,000+ are reported as “$10,000+”). The effective rate is that bill ÷ the median home value: a rough guide, not the official tax rate.
Tax bills are one input to Virginia Beach’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Virginia Beach →
Who’s in charge in Virginia Beach
Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.
Virginia Beach’s meeting calendar isn’t in our feed yet. The city posts agendas and minutes on virginiabeach.gov ↗.
One full-time city employee for every 28 residents
On the payroll in March 2025, from the Census Bureau’s Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll. Residents: the Census population in the 2024 finance file (455,618).
By department full-time, plus part-time, March 2025
The Census reports one month’s payroll (March); yearly figures are that month × 12, an estimate. Part-timers count half in the bar lengths.
Virginia Beach City Public Schools
Virginia Beach’s K–12 school district. The schools are run by Virginia Beach, so this money is part of the budget above.
Of the $15,699 per pupil, $8,966 goes to the classroom (teachers, aides, supplies); the rest to buses, buildings, counselors and administration. Building projects and debt payments aren’t in the per-pupil figure.
Virginia State districts overall: 49% local, 41% state, 10% federal.
School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.
How Virginia Beach voted in 2024
Official results for Virginia Beach’s own voters, as certified after the November 5, 2024 general election, with the county and the state beside them.
Kamala D HarrisDemocrat50.4%115,412 votes
Donald J TrumpRepublican47.8%109,375 votesOthers: 1.7% (3,984 votes).
Most votes in Virginia Beach: Kamala D Harris
Virginia Beach city: Harris 50.4%, Trump 47.8% · Virginia State: Harris 51.8%, Trump 46.1%
of Virginia Beach’s 343,383 adult citizens voted for president in 2024. Across Virginia State: 71%.
Votes ÷ citizens of voting age (Census CVAP, 2020–24 ACS).
Most votes in Virginia Beach: Timothy M Kaine
Virginia Beach city: Kaine 52.7%, Cao 47.2% · Virginia State: Kaine 54.4%, Cao 45.4%
Most votes in the district: Jen A Kiggans
Whole-district result
President, 2024: Virginia Beach, its county and the state
| Harris | Trump | Others | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach | 50.4% | 47.8% | 1.7% | 228,771 |
| Virginia Beach city | 50.4% | 47.8% | 1.7% | 228,771 |
| Virginia State | 51.8% | 46.1% | 2.1% | 4,503,288 |
Official 2024 general election returns, as certified (MIT Election Data + Science Lab). Percentages are of votes for candidates; blank and spoiled ballots aren’t counted. Candidates are listed by votes, and party colors are neutral on purpose.
Portraits: Kamala D Harris: official vice-presidential portrait, Lawrence Jackson, The White House, 2021; Donald J Trump: official portrait, Shealah Craighead, The White House, 2017. All are U.S. government works in the public domain. A race shows photos only when every candidate has an official portrait; otherwise every candidate in it gets initials.
From town hall to Washington
Virginia Beach sends 6 representatives to the Virginia House alone.
- 1Your cityMayor & councilOfficials: virginiabeach.gov ↗
- 2Virginia House of DelegatesVirginia Beach is split between 6 districts
- 3Virginia SenateState senator
- 4GovernorStatewide
- 5U.S. HouseYour representative in Congress
- 6U.S. SenateBoth represent all of Virginia
Democrat · Republican · other or independent. Tap a name for their official page.
How Virginia Beach compares with the towns next door
Virginia Beach spent $4,079 per resident in 2022; the 2 neighbors that reported 2022 spent $4,162 to $4,634. Towns that run more services spend more. Tap a town to see its page.
| Town | Day-to-day, per resident (2022) | Tax bill |
|---|---|---|
| Chesapeake | $4,162 runs schools | $3,108 |
| Norfolk | $4,634 runs schools | $2,890 |
| Virginia Beach | $4,079 | $3,061 |
Day-to-day spending in 2022, the last year every government was counted, for governments that reported it; hospital and utilities left out. Tax bill: the typical homeowner’s bill (Census ACS, 2020–24).
Reach Virginia Beach’s government
The official site has phone numbers, hours and forms. Neighbors add the rest to the Handbook.
Questions about Virginia Beach’s government
How much does Virginia Beach spend per resident?
About $4,528 per resident on day-to-day services in the year to June 30, 2024, as reported to the Census Bureau. In 2022, the last full count, its $4,079 was less than 79% of 34 Virginia State cities that run their own schools.
What is the property tax rate in Virginia Beach?
Homeowners report a typical bill of $3,061 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 0.80% of the typical home’s value, vs 0.73% across Virginia State. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see virginiabeach.gov.
Who runs Virginia Beach’s government?
See virginiabeach.gov for current officials. We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Virginia Beach yet.
How did Virginia Beach vote in 2024?
For president, Kamala D Harris 50.4%, Donald J Trump 47.8% (228,771 votes, official results). Virginia Beach city: Harris 50.4%, Trump 47.8%. Virginia State: Harris 51.8%, Trump 46.1%.
How many people work for Virginia Beach?
16,153 full-time and 3,477 part-time employees in March 2025, with a March payroll of $95.0M (about $1.1B a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.
Who represents Virginia Beach in the state legislature?
Virginia Beach is split among 6 House of Delegates districts and 3 State Senate districts, so your address decides. The Virginia Legislature’s lookup finds yours. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.
Ask neighbors about Virginia Beach’s government
Neighbors who’ve been to the meetings can help.
Budget and staff: U.S. Census Bureau, Census of Governments (2022, every government) and Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023–24, a sample) and the Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll; day-to-day spending is current operations, with hospitals, utilities and airports apart. School district: Census school finance survey, 2023–24. Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 2020–24. Elections: official 2024 returns via the MIT Election Data + Science Lab; turnout uses Census citizen voting-age population (CVAP, 2020–24). Officials: Open States, names shown only with a current term (checked October 9, 2026). Districts: Census Bureau (119th Congress, 2024 state districts); legislators: Open States and congress-legislators. How Town Hall works →