Major Employers

See why so many of the world’s best-run companies ran to Hampton Roads.

Hampton Roads attracts and retains many of the world’s most recognizable brands. Companies like Northrop Grumman, STIHL Inc., GEICO, and Canon Virginia, Inc. all have chosen Hampton Roads as a strategic base for their operation. So have Fortune 500 firms Norfolk Southern, Dollar Tree, Amerigroup and Smithfield Foods.

Our international profile is strong and continues to grow, with nearly 180 international firms representing 27 countries. This strong international presence provides a support network and services for the employees and families that arrive in Hampton Roads from abroad, helping them quickly acclimate to their new communities.


As an Employment at Will and Right to Work state, Virginia has labor laws that appeal to employers and employees alike. And with only one local taxing authority in each community, Hampton Roads boasts some of the lowest combined state and local tax rates in the nation. There is no local income tax, unitary tax, state property tax, local license tax on headquarters and regional offices, intangible property tax, or inventory tax.

No wonder companies large and small in a wide variety of industries come to Hampton Roads. Organizations as diverse as manufacturers, retailers, healthcare firms, business service providers, educational institutions, and telecommunications providers take advantage of our incentive programs, including financial assistance, infrastructure development, workforce training, and tax credits.

For those reasons and more, in 2009 alone, Virginia was ranked as the “Best State for Business” by Forbes.com for the fourth consecutive year; “America’s Most Pro Business State” by Pollina; “America’s Top State for Business” by CNBC; and “One of the Five Best Places to Start a Business” by U.S. News and World Report.
 

Hampton Roads Employer Directories

• Full Alphabetical List
• Major Employers by Number of Employees (1,000+)
• Major Employers Alpha List (1,000+)
• Major Employers by Locality
• Major International Firms

2010 Hampton Roads Major Employer Industry Profile

Locality # Companies % Profile Chesapeake 75 18% Franklin / Southampton 11 3% Gloucester 5 1% Hampton 35 8% Isle of Wight 4 1% James City / Williamsburg 21 5% Newport News 43 10% Norfolk 68 16% Poquoson 2 less 1% Portsmouth 35 8% Suffolk 26 6% Virginia Beach 86 21% York 4 1% TOTAL 417   Industry Sector Total % D/T/L/P 55 13% FIRE 20 5% Govt/Military 43 10% Manufacturing 93 22% Services 207 50% TOTAL 417

  Notes: D/T/L/P = Distribution/Transportation/Logistics/Public Utilities, FIRE = Finance/Insurance/RealEstate, Major Employer + > 1000 Employees