Tazewell County is in the southwestern portion of Virginia, on the border of West Virginia. It is a region of beautiful green mountains, rolling hills and wide-open valleys that covers 522 square miles. The county's accessibility to Interstates 77 and 81 makes it a convenient location for all markets east of the Mississippi and the Midwest. Richmond, the state capital, is 281 miles northeast; Roanoke is 110 miles east; and Bristol is 70 miles southwest. The county is ideally located within the geographic center of the east coast and within one day’s drive of 50% of the most populous states in the country.
Electricity
County - AEP Appalachian Power.
Town of Richlands - the Town of Richlands owns and operates its own electricity.
Water and Wastewater
Water and wastewater services are provided by the Tazewell County Public Services Authority (PSA). The towns of Bluefield, Pocahontas, Richlands and Tazewell, also provide services to their citizens.
Solid Waste Disposal
Tazewell County Sanitary Landfill
Natural Gas and Propane
Appalachian Natural Gas (limited)
Bluefield Gas (subsidiary of RCG Resources)
There are several providers of propane in the county.
Telephone Service
Verizon Communications
Burkes Garden Telephone Service
Fiber Provider
Verizon and Optinet, a Bristol Virginia Utilities (BVU) company
4G Wireless Network - wireless phone coverage and high-speed internet services.
LTE 4G Services
The Board of Supervisors establishes a personal property tax rate each year. The tax rate may vary according to category.
| Vehicles, campers, utility trailers, boats | $2.00 per hundred dollars assessed value |
| Business Furniture and Fixtures | $2.00 per hundred dollars assessed value |
| Machinery & Tools | $2.00 per hundred dollars assessed value |
| Merchant's Capital | $3.80 per hundred dollars assessed value |
| Mobile Homes | $0.55 per hundred dollars assessed value |
| Aircraft | $0.50 per hundred dollars assessed value |
The real estate tax rate as of July 1, 2014 is fifty-five (55) cents per $100 of assessed value.
| Population | |
| Tazewell County | 43,287 |
| Extended Labor Market Area | 294,553 |
| Labor Force (2016) | |
| Tazewell County | 15,969 |
| Extended Labor Market Area | 114,048 |
| Unemployment (April, 2017) | |
| Tazewell County | 5.9% |
| Extended Labor Market Area | 5.4% |
| Underemployment (1st quarter 2017) | |
| Tazewell County | 1,660 |
| Extended Labor Market Area | 14,333 |
Click here for more labor market information from the Community Profile - source- yesvirginia.org
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50 Largest Employers
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Source: Virginia Employment Commission,
Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), 2nd Quarter (April, May, June) 2015
| General Aviation Service | |
| Name | Runway Length |
| Tazewell County Airport | 4300 ft |
| Mercer County, WV Airport | 4731 ft |
| Commercial Passenger |
|
| Name | Time |
| Roanoke Regional Airport | 1 hour 47 minutes |
| Tri-Cities International Airport, Blountville, TN | 1 hour 26 minutes |
| Yeager Airport, Charleston, WV | 1 hour 52 minutes |
| Piedmont Triad International Airport | 2 hours 21 minutes |
| Charlotte Douglas International Airport | 2 hours 47 minutes |
| Seaports | |
| Name | Distance |
| Port of Virginia | 387.0 miles |
| Other Ports of Entry | |
| Name | Distance |
| New River Valley Airport - Virginia Trade Port | 66.9 miles |
| TriCities | 85.8 miles |
| Port of Washington-Dulles | 335.9 miles |
| Interstate Access | |
| Location | Time |
| I-81 Wytheville | 41 minutes |
| I-77 Bluefield, WV | 20 minutes |
| I-64 Beckley, WV | 66 minutes |
| Rail Service | |
| Name | Location |
| Norfolk Southern Railroad | Throughout County |
| Motor Freight | |
| Local Terminal | Location |
| J&S Transport | Tazewell |
| J&M Transport | Bluefield |
| Bluefield Transport | Bluefield |