Waterfront Economy
Virginia Is Now the #1 Oyster Producer on the East Coast
The Chesapeake Bay watershed sits at the center of an $81 million aquaculture industry — and Mathews County's tidal creeks are part of the story.
Read →
Surrounded by Water.
Grounded in Purpose.
Not a place you pass through. A place you choose — for its working waterfronts, its makers, its unbroken heritage, and a way of life worth protecting.
The Mathews County EDA
What are you
building?
Whether you're starting something new, growing what you have, or choosing where to put down roots — the EDA is here to help you move forward.
New Ventures
Start a Business.
We'll help you land.
From registering your LLC to finding your first commercial space — the EDA can walk you through the steps, connect you to state resources, and make sure Mathews is set up to work for you.
Start here →Hospitality & Tourism
Open a Short-Term Rental.
Put Mathews to work.
Mathews' 70% overnight visitor rate means demand is real and year-round. Understand the licensing, taxation, and best practices for operating a STR in the county — and how the EDA can connect you with resources.
Learn how →Makers & Creatives
Make it here.
Mean it.
A 300-year tradition of building things by hand — boats, food, art, craft. Join a maker community with deep roots, a growing platform, and a county that shows up for producers who show up for it.
Make in Mathews →Existing Businesses
Level up.
You're already here.
Already operating in Mathews? The EDA offers a Business Health Check, connections to incentive programs, and advocacy for the resources your business needs to grow. You don't have to figure it out alone.
Health check →Live & Work Here
Relocate to Mathews.
Work from anywhere.
Waterfront living at a fraction of Hampton Roads prices, gigabit fiber, a real community, and 90 minutes to Richmond. If you can work from anywhere, Mathews is worth a serious look.
See life here →Mathews County EDA
Not sure where
to start?
We're a small shop and we respond quickly. Tell us what you're working on and we'll point you in the right direction.
Talk to the EDAWhy Mathews
A setting built for
people who choose deliberately.
Mathews County offers a practical operating environment for businesses and residents who value regional access, waterfront character, and the ability to grow in a community that has chosen to stay itself.
01
Regional access
90 minutes to Richmond. 75 to Hampton Roads. 45 to Williamsburg. Close enough to every major Virginia market — far enough to mean something different.
02
Real value
Waterfront property at 30–40% below comparable Hampton Roads pricing. Among the lowest property tax rates in coastal Virginia. 679 active businesses — and $50M+ in federal awards behind them.
03
Quality of place
240+ miles of tidal shoreline. 100,000+ tracked visitor trips in 2025. A community calendar that punches 10× above its weight. Gigabit fiber now available across most of the county.
Makers & Creatives
This county has always
built things by hand.
From the 2,000+ vessels built on Mathews shores across two centuries to today's artisans, craftspeople, and creative producers — the tradition of making is alive, networked, and growing.
Boat Building
Seafood & Aquaculture
Visual Arts
Woodworking
Fine Craft
Culinary
Maritime Heritage
Make in Mathews
Available Properties
Featured sites and
buildings to explore.
Use these featured listings as a starting point for understanding what may be possible in Mathews. For project-specific questions, contact the EDA directly.
Incentives & Support
Incentives should be easy
to understand.
For many businesses, incentives are one of the first questions in evaluating a location. The strongest message here is simple: Mathews can help you understand what may be available, when programs apply, and how those opportunities connect to your project.
What to Explore
Local and regional programs, project fit, and the practical questions businesses ask first.
How the EDA Helps
Guidance on eligibility context, next steps, and how incentives connect to property and project planning.
Explore by Need
Go deeper based on
what you need next.
Once you have a feel for the county, use these pathways to compare industries, properties, incentives, and practical local guidance.
Pathway 01
Do business in Mathews
Who's here, what's working, and how the EDA can help you find your footing — whether you're starting, growing, or relocating.
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Pathway 02
View sites, buildings, and opportunity spaces
Compare available properties and understand how location, use, and local setting fit your project.
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Pathway 03
Review incentives and project support
Understand what programs may apply and how the EDA can help connect questions to next steps.
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Pathway 04
Review data, reports, and local context
Access decision-support materials that provide market context, benchmarks, and planning insight.
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Featured Business · Diggs, Virginia
The rope that holds
everything together.
For over 60 years, Ocean Products Research has quietly operated from Diggs, Virginia — producing specialized rope systems used to moor U.S. Navy warships, deploy Special Forces from helicopters, and anchor NOAA’s research fleet. What began as a small family operation has become a critical supplier to federal agencies, while still serving the working watermen of the Chesapeake Bay.
60+
Years in Business
474
Federal Awards
$15.1M
Federal Obligations
3rd
Generation
News & Updates
Recent updates, reports,
and practical reads.
Tourism
Mathews Exceeds 100,000 Tracked Visitor Trips in 2025
Tourism mobility data shows 70% overnight stays and Richmond as the source of nearly 60% of all trips — with significant shoulder-season opportunity.
Read →Workforce
Remote Workers Are Already Mathews County's Second-Largest Workforce Sector
150 miles of new fiber, 1,400+ newly connected homes, and a way of life that makes remote work feel like a trade-up rather than a compromise.
Read →Next Step
Ready to explore what
Mathews could offer your project?
Start with properties, review incentives, or connect directly with the EDA for a more guided conversation.