How Hampton is run
Who runs Hampton, what it costs, and where your money goes
The city manager, council pay, the budget, your property tax bill and who provides each service, from Hampton's own public documents. Every number links to its source and says which year it describes. Checked Oct 10, 2026.
Who runs Hampton
A city manager hired by the council runs the city day to day. The council sets policy, adopts the budget and sets the tax rate.
What they are paid
- $25,500 a year to a deferred compensation account (2023 amendment)
- Term extended to June 30, 2030 (2026 amendment)
Hampton city staff
2,281 full-time-equivalent positions, including Police 371, Fire and Rescue 311, Social Services 203, Sheriff (jail) 152, Wastewater 73. FY2026-27. City of Hampton · May 13, 2026
Virginia has no statewide public pay database. The budget lists positions by department, not pay by employee. We name pay only for elected officials and the city manager.
Is Hampton in the red?
Cities must pass a balanced budget, so "profit" and "deficit" mean something different here. The useful questions: does the city's everyday money (the general fund) cover its everyday costs, how much does it keep in savings compared with its own target, and how big are its pension and debt bills.
The city's own outlook
The manager's budget message expects general fund revenue to grow 4.3% but warns of a cooling housing market, federal workforce uncertainty and rising costs. It keeps the real estate tax rate at $1.14 after four years of cuts. City of Hampton · May 13, 2026
Savings against the city's own target
Unassigned general fund balance: $115M (2025-06-30). The city's own target: Keep unassigned general fund balance equal to 10% of total general fund and school operating fund revenues. The audit reports 17% at June 30, 2025. The city meets this target. City of Hampton · Dec 5, 2025
Why we skip the "budgeted deficit": many cities plan to dip into savings, then spend less than planned. The audited result tells you what really happened.
Where the money comes from and goes
The general fund only: the city's everyday money for FY2026-27.
Comes from
- General property taxes$262M · 37%
- State and other funds for schools (not from the city)$226M · 32%
- Other local taxes$109M · 15%
- State categorical aid$41.7M · 6%
- Shared expenses$13.9M · 2%
- Transfers in from other funds$13.3M · 2%
- Charges for services$12M · 2%
- Other$30.7M · 4%
Goes to (FY2026-27)
- School operations$328M · 46%
- Public safety$74.5M · 11%
- Retirement and fringe benefits$69.1M · 10%
- Transfers to other funds$39.6M · 6%
- Youth and families$36.4M · 5%
- Debt service$35.8M · 5%
- Excellence in government (administration)$31.8M · 4%
- Infrastructure$26.3M · 4%
- Other$67.2M · 9%
Your property tax bill: who gets it
Virginia cities have no overlapping county or school district taxes. The city's rate also pays for Hampton City Schools through the city budget.
100¢
of each property-tax dollar goes to the city of Hampton
- City of Hampton (general rate)1.14 · 100%
- Total ($ per $100 of assessed value)1.14
FY2026-27 real estate tax rate for a property in Hampton (an independent city). City of Hampton · May 13, 2026
See what a Hampton home costs each year, line by line →Who provides your services
Not everything in Hampton is run by the city. Who provides a service decides whose budget pays for it and whose election decides it.
- PoliceThe cityHampton Police DivisionCity of Hampton · May 13, 2026
- FireThe cityHampton Fire and Rescue DivisionCity of Hampton · May 13, 2026
- Emergency medical servicesThe cityHampton Fire and Rescue DivisionCity of Hampton · May 13, 2026
- 911 dispatchThe cityHampton 911 Emergency CommunicationsCity of Hampton · May 13, 2026
- Sewer collectionThe cityCity of Hampton (Wastewater Management)Sewage is delivered to the Hampton Roads Sanitation District for treatment.City of Hampton · May 13, 2026
- Sewer treatmentSeparate districtHampton Roads Sanitation DistrictCity of Hampton · May 13, 2026
- Trash and recyclingThe cityCity of Hampton (Solid Waste Management)City of Hampton · May 13, 2026
- StormwaterThe cityCity of Hampton (Stormwater Management)City of Hampton · May 13, 2026
- StreetsThe cityCity of Hampton (Public Works, Streets and Roads)City of Hampton · May 13, 2026
- Parks and recreationThe cityCity of Hampton (Parks, Recreation and Leisure Services)City of Hampton · May 13, 2026
- LibrariesThe cityHampton Public LibraryCity of Hampton · May 13, 2026
Compared with similar cities
The cities in this state closest in population that we cover. Read it for scale, not as a ranking: cities provide different services.
| Per city | RoanokeVA | SuffolkVA | HamptonVA | Newport NewsVA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 99,111 | 104,699 | 137,315 | 183,230 |
| Top administrator's base pay | Not confirmed | $245,000 | Not confirmed | $292,272 |
| Council member pay | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | $43,000 | $47,000 |
| General fund per resident | $4,253 | $3,407 | $5,161 | $3,708 |
| Debt per resident | $3,489 | $5,908 | $2,547 | $2,466 |
| Unfunded pension per resident | $2,419 | $438 | $922 | $2,245 |
| City staff per 1,000 residents | 18.3 | 15.6 | 16.6 | 41.1 |
Figures as shown in each city's section, divided by its population. Years differ by state, and pension figures are measured differently in each state (each city page says how).
What Hampton publishes
What a resident can find online today. A "no" is something you can ask the council to publish.
- Yes: Adopted budget posted onlineThe FY2027 council approved budget is posted as a full document and by tab on the Budget Division page. City of Hampton
- Yes: Council votes recorded member by member onlineApproved council minutes list each member's vote by name. City of Hampton · Jun 10, 2026
- Yes: Council pay stated in a public documentA 2024 ordinance sets the mayor's salary at $47,000 and each council member's at $43,000. The mayor's city page also lists $47,000. City of Hampton · Jun 10, 2026
- No: Employee pay publishedThe budget lists authorized positions by department but not pay by employee. Virginia has no statewide pay database. City of Hampton · May 13, 2026
Questions to ask your council
- Unassigned reserves were $115.1M (17% of revenue) at June 30, 2025, above the 10% policy. What is the plan for the amount above the policy?
- The FY2026-27 budget keeps the real estate rate at $1.14 while warning of slower revenue growth. Which spending would change if revenue falls short?
- The city's VRS pension plan was 83.5% funded with a $126.7M liability. What is the plan to close the gap?
- The general fund transferred out $92.0M in FY2025, and the city had $349.8M in bonds outstanding. How will the debt load change over the next five years?
The fiscal year starts July 1. The City Manager delivers the recommended budget by mid-April (April 15, 2026 for FY2027). Council held public hearings on April 22 and May 6, 2026 and adopted the FY2027 budget on May 13, 2026. State law requires adoption by May 15. See who is running for council
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