Mathews County is mostly water, quiet roads and small villages, with the Chesapeake Bay, Mobjack Bay and the Piankatank all close by. People come here for room to breathe and a dock out back.
Mathews · Middle Peninsula
Overview
Mathews is a rural county on Virginia’s Middle Peninsula, and its county seat, also called Mathews, is the main village. About two-thirds of the county’s 252 square miles is water, bounded by the Chesapeake Bay, Mobjack Bay and the Piankatank River, so buyers come for waterfront land, small-village life and easy access to the Bay.
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Neighborhoods
The county seat, settled around 1700 as Westville, with a courthouse square listed as a National Historic District in 1977.
An island community reached by bridge, popular with recreational boaters and home to the Gwynn’s Island Museum.
A Mathews County village with its own post office (ZIP 23138).
The county’s southern tip near New Point Comfort Lighthouse, with its own ZIP (23125).
A village on the Piankatank side of the county with its own post office (ZIP 23035).
A northern Mathews County community with ZIP 23128 (North Mathews).
A small village in Mathews County with its own ZIP code (23130).
A Mathews County village near Gwynn’s Island with ZIP 23076.
Schools
| School | Virginia rank |
|---|---|
| Mathews High | 167th of 331 |
| Thomas Hunter Middle | 262nd of 416 |
| Mathews Elementary | 526th of 1,111 |
SchoolDigger 2026 statewide rankings (source). Zones follow addresses; confirm with Mathews County Public Schools.
Commute
| To | Off-peak |
|---|---|
| Gloucester Courthouse | ~25 min |
| Deltaville | ~35 min |
| Naval Weapons Station Yorktown | ~45 min |
| Coast Guard Training Center Yorktown | ~45 min |
| Newport News Shipbuilding | ~1 hr |
| Williamsburg | ~1 hr |
| Langley AFB | ~1 hr |
Approximate off-peak drive times; rush hour and tunnel traffic add time. PCSing? See our military relocation guide.
Living here
The third oldest surviving lighthouse on the Chesapeake Bay, best seen from the water or the nearby observation area.
Two floors of exhibits on the island’s history and a large collection of local artifacts.
Maritime history at 482 Main Street, open Fridays and Saturdays from April through November.
Five paddling trails, including the Piankatank River, Gwynn’s Island/Milford Haven and East River trails.
The county’s annual festival of arts, crafts, food and music on the first Friday and Saturday after Labor Day.
Saturday mornings on Court House Square from April through October.
Get a value based on what actually sold near you this season, from a local team that knows the neighborhoods.
Questions
Mathews is a county, and its county seat is a small unincorporated village also called Mathews (Mathews Court House). There are no incorporated towns in the county, so there is no town tax on top of the county rate.
Mathews County Public Schools runs three schools: Mathews Elementary, Thomas Hunter Middle and Mathews High. SchoolDigger’s 2026 rankings place Mathews High 167th of 331 Virginia high schools and the division 53rd of 131.
The FY2026 real estate rate was $0.60 per $100 of assessed value, and supervisors adopted $0.62 for FY2027 in May 2026. At $0.62, a home assessed at $400,000 would owe about $2,480 a year. Confirm with the Mathews County Treasurer which rate applies to your next bill.
Plan on about 45 minutes to Naval Weapons Station Yorktown or the Coast Guard Training Center, and about an hour to Newport News or Langley AFB. US 17 crosses the York River on the Coleman Bridge, which has been toll-free since August 8, 2025.
Mathews is low-lying and about two-thirds of its area is water, so many properties sit in FEMA flood zones. Check the flood zone, ask for an elevation certificate, and get a flood insurance quote before you make an offer.
More in the Middle Peninsula
Key Areas
Figures were checked in October 2026. Tax rates, school rankings and drive times change; confirm them for a specific address before you buy.
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