Farm Census

Northampton County, Virginia

Farms, crops and livestock in the 2022 Census of Agriculture

151 farms43,586 acres in farms$109 million in farm sales

Among US counties with published figures, Northampton County ranks tenth for sales of aquaculture products.

Within Virginia, no other county with a published figure has more potatoes or vegetables.

Vegetables and melons: 32.9%Vegetables and melons32.9%Aquaculture: 32.9%Aquaculture32.9%Nursery and greenhouse: 21.4%Nursery and greenhouse21.4%Grains and oilseeds: 11.6%Grains and oilseeds11.6%Withheld groups: 1.0%Other animals: 0.1%Hay and other crops: 0.1%Vegetables and melons: 32.9%32.9%Aquaculture: 32.9%Aquaculture32.9%Nursery and greenhouse: 21.4%Nursery and greenhouse21.4%Grains and oilseeds: 11.6%11.6%Withheld groups: 1.0%Other animals: 0.1%Hay and other crops: 0.1%
Farm sales by product group, 2022, sized by value. Withheld to protect individual farms: fruit and nuts, cotton, cattle and calves, poultry and eggs and sheep and goat products.
Sales by product group
Product groupSalesRank in state
Vegetables, melons and potatoes$36.0 million1st of 75
Aquaculture$35.9 million1st of 15
Nursery, greenhouse and floriculture crops$23.4 million3rd of 64
Grains, oilseeds, dry beans and dry peas$12.6 million26th of 90
Other animals and animal products$155,00012th of 63
Hay and other crops$78,00076th of 82

What the fields held

Northampton County harvested 30,493 acres of cropland in 2022, 31st of 97 counties in Virginia. Soybeans covered acreage equal to 58% of that, wheat 23%.

CropAcresShare of US
Soybeans17,539under 0.1%
Wheat7,071under 0.1%
Corn for grain4,877under 0.1%
Vegetables3,6950.09%
of which potatoes1,8660.17%
Berries5under 0.1%
Orchard land1under 0.1%

Withheld to protect individual farms: hay and haylage, cotton and barley.

How much of the county is farmland

Share of the county land in farms32.2%

Northampton County ranks 39th of 97 counties in Virginia on this measure.

  • 33,406 acres of cropland, 77% of farmland
  • 330 acres of pastureland, 1% of farmland
  • 2,791 acres of woodland, 6% of farmland
  • 4,924 acres irrigated

Farm sizes

The typical farm in Northampton County is smaller than the national median of 72 acres, at 30 acres. The average, pulled up by the largest operations, is 289 acres, 17th-largest of 85 in Virginia. The most common size class is 10–49 acres, with 31.1% of farms. Farms of 1,000 acres or more are 9.9% of the total.

1–928%10–4931%50–17916%180–49911%500–9995%1,000–1,9996%2,000+4%
Northampton County US · farms by size

Barns, pens and pastures

AnimalsHeadShare of US
Horses and ponies67under 0.1%
Sheep and lambs60under 0.1%

Withheld: cattle and calves, beef cows and laying hens.

Who farms here

Decisions on Northampton County's 151 farms are made by 230 producers. Their average age is 56.2, 3.0 years below the Virginia average. Women are 27.0% of them.

Under 353%35–4413%45–5430%55–6423%65–7423%75+8%
Northampton County US · producers by age

Five years earlier

Measure2017Change to 2022
Farms142+6.3%
Land in farms, acres48,279−9.7%
Average farm size, acres340−15.0%
Farm products sold (current dollars)$96.0 million+13.8%
Potatoes, acres2,008−7.1%
Vegetables, acres5,671−34.8%
Soybeans, acres16,913+3.7%
Wheat, acres8,976−21.2%

Nearest rivals

Counties with a similar sales mix

Northampton County accounts for 2.0% of farm sales in Virginia and 0.4% of the farms in Virginia. Rank Virginia counties for potatoes.

Source: USDA NASS Census of Agriculture. How to read these pages.