Firm counts, employment, and wages for 40 small-business-typical industries reported in Virginia by the BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages. Click any industry for a national comparison.
Sorted by establishment count. Location quotient (LQ) compares Virginia's industry concentration to the national average — LQ > 1 means denser than national; LQ < 1 means thinner.
| Industry | Firms | Employment | Avg Pay | LQ | YoY % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full-service restaurants | 7,298 | 143,662 | $28,879 | 1.05 | -0.5% |
| Quick-service restaurants | 7,084 | 120,110 | $23,150 | 1.01 | +0.3% |
| Offices of lawyers | 3,950 | 22,755 | $120,991 | 0.80 | -2.1% |
| Dental practices | 3,537 | 28,676 | $72,414 | 0.99 | +0.9% |
| Engineering services | 3,510 | 53,139 | $130,957 | 1.34 | +3.1% |
| Landscaping services | 2,939 | 25,490 | $49,637 | 0.91 | -1.6% |
| Plumbing, heating & AC contractors | 2,831 | 35,379 | $74,010 | 0.88 | -2.3% |
| Gas stations with convenience stores | 2,672 | 25,095 | $30,643 | 1.00 | +2.2% |
| Janitorial services | 2,632 | 39,048 | $29,747 | 1.20 | -0.3% |
| Beauty salons | 2,447 | 11,724 | $38,379 | 1.19 | -0.6% |
| General auto repair | 2,185 | 11,349 | $60,011 | 0.97 | -0.7% |
| Electrical contractors | 2,182 | 32,345 | $83,869 | 0.83 | -1.8% |
| Child day care | 1,778 | 25,045 | $32,427 | 0.86 | +1.4% |
| Portfolio management & investment advice | 1,756 | 7,573 | $208,533 | 0.76 | +4.8% |
| Other general-merchandise retailers | 1,679 | 0 | $0 | 0.99 | +5.5% |
| Other accounting services | 1,661 | 12,337 | $90,406 | 0.88 | +2.3% |
| CPA offices | 1,402 | 19,709 | $137,622 | 0.84 | -1.8% |
| Supermarkets & grocery | 1,360 | 71,070 | $33,155 | 0.88 | +1.9% |
| Fitness & recreational sports centers | 1,358 | 26,198 | $18,878 | 1.15 | +0.3% |
| Physical therapists | 1,356 | 11,591 | $52,842 | 1.00 | +4.1% |
| Convenience retailers | 1,298 | 6,060 | $27,516 | 1.40 | +3.3% |
| Veterinary services | 1,025 | 14,987 | $55,124 | 1.09 | -0.8% |
| Other health practitioners | 952 | 3,880 | $59,003 | 0.92 | +14.6% |
| Pet care (except veterinary) | 817 | 6,423 | $29,074 | 1.14 | +3.7% |
| Auto body & paint | 754 | 6,891 | $70,704 | 0.81 | -2.0% |
| Chiropractors | 726 | 3,028 | $48,198 | 0.70 | -0.3% |
| All other miscellaneous retailers | 582 | 2,793 | $60,837 | 0.66 | +2.5% |
| Roofing contractors | 573 | 4,765 | $70,452 | 0.69 | -2.6% |
| Religious organizations | 564 | 3,562 | $38,130 | 0.82 | +5.0% |
| Optometrists | 518 | 4,604 | $60,674 | 0.92 | -3.9% |
| Other similar organizations | 464 | 3,216 | $51,907 | 1.15 | +1.3% |
| Drycleaning & laundry | 463 | 2,363 | $29,984 | 1.18 | -7.0% |
| All other auto repair & maintenance | 399 | 1,250 | $51,678 | 1.99 | +5.6% |
| Motor-vehicle parts wholesale | 336 | 2,550 | $63,269 | 0.86 | +2.1% |
| Florists | 290 | 1,371 | $28,744 | 0.90 | -3.0% |
| Barber shops | 262 | 1,128 | $39,482 | 1.21 | +1.6% |
| Book retailers & news dealers | 226 | 1,914 | $25,678 | 1.09 | +1.3% |
| Parking lots & garages | 185 | 2,311 | $33,006 | 0.90 | -0.5% |
| Auto glass replacement | 157 | 868 | $55,549 | 0.83 | +6.1% |
| Drinking places (bars) | 94 | 1,000 | $23,390 | 0.08 | +5.6% |