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Nestled in the beautiful New River Valley region of Virginia, Montgomery County is an emerging hotspot for innovative industries blended with small town charm and an abundance of outdoor amenities. We are home to Virginia Tech - an internationally renowned research university - and the Towns of Blacksburg and Christiansburg. Our community is the perfect place to live, raise a family and grow a business. But don't just take our word for it - check out what others are saying about our community! |
Business Climate | ||
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In 2016, the Blacksburg MSA ranked 30th in the nation for "Leading Locations" and ranked 12th in mid-sized metros. The Blacksburg MSA was one of only two metros in Virginia to make the Top 100 list. For the prime workforce indicator, the Blacksburg MSA ranked 4th in the nation (Area Development Magazine, 2016). | |
 | Blacksburg named "Best City for Remote Workers in Virginia" (2020) | |
 | Blacksburg named a "Best Tech Hub" in Virginia. (2016) | |
 | Blacksburg named to Top 100 "Best Small Places for Businesses and Careers" (2019) | |
 | Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford MSA ranked #10 "Most Concentrated Metro for High-Tech Jobs" (2017) | |
| Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford MSA ranked $6 "Best Metro Job Market" (2018) | |
 | Among the top 25 metros with a high ratio of IT graduates compared to the IT job base, Blacksburg ranked third (2017) | |
| Montgomery County raked in the Top 3 "Best Place in Western Virginia for Aerospace Companies" (2019) | |
| Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center named "Best University Research Park in the South" (2016). | |
Education | ||
 | Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford Metro ranked No. 14 "Smartest City in America" (2013) READ MORE | |
 | Montgomery County Public Schools designated a “Best Community for Music Education” for the tenth consecutive year by the NAMM Foundation (2017). | |
| Wall Street Journal report ranks Virginia Tech among the "Top 25 Schools for Best-Qualified Graduates" (2010). | |
| Blacksburg High School - a Montgomery County Public School - ranked in the “Top 5% of the Nation's Schools” (2003, 2008 and 2009). | |
| Blacksburg ranked 14th on Forbes' list of "America's Most Educated Small Towns" (2009). | |
| Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford Metro ranked the 2nd "Top Metro for Ph.D.s Per Capita" (2005). | |
| Blacksburg ranked the 3rd in "metros with high ratio of IT graduates to IT job base" (2017). | |
Lifestyle Amenities | ||
| Several Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford Metro outdoor amenities were named to the "Blue Ridge Outdoor Bucket List" by Blue Ridge Country, including: New River Junction (tubing), Appalachian Trail (hiking), New River Trail State Park (biking) and the New River (canoeing/kayaking). 2011 | |
| Christiansburg Aquatic Center named one of 13 "World-Class Aquatics Facilities" in Aquatics International's Best of Aquatics issue (2011). | |
| Bowl Championship Series (BCS) appearances by Virginia Tech “Hokie” football: Sugar Bowl National Championship Game (1999), Sugar Bowl (2011 and 2004), Orange Bowl (2010, 2008, and 2007), Gator Bowl (2000, 2001, and 2005), San Francisco Bowl (2002), Insight Bowl (2003), Chick-fil-A Bowl (2006 and 2009), Russell Athletic Bowl (2012), Sun Bowl (2013), Military Bowl (2014), Independence Bowl (2015), Belk Bowl (2016), and Camping World Bowl (2017). | |
| - home of Hokie Football - named 20 "Top 25 College Football Stadiums" (2016). | |
| Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine has recognized several outdoor amenities of Montgomery County and the surrounding region in its Best of the Outdoors series, including: | |
The Poverty Creek Trail System at Pandapas - a 17-mile trail system that traverses Brush and Gap mountains in Jefferson National Forest - named a "Best Mountain Bike Trail" (4th 2010 and 3rd 2008). | ||
Pandapas Pond - an 8-acre manmade pond in Jefferson National Forest - named a "Best Running Trail" (2010). | ||
Cascade Falls - a 69 ft. waterfall in Giles County - 4th "Best Swimming Hole" (2010). | ||
Carvins Cove Reserve - 30 miles of hiking and biking trails in nearby Roanoke, Va. - named the "Best Urban Park" (2010). | ||
Explore Park - located off of the Blue Ridge Parkway in nearby Roanoke, Va. - named the 2nd "Best Mountain Bike Trail" (2010). | ||
Dragon's Tooth and McAfee Knob - located in nearby Roanoke, Va. - named "Favorite Sections of the Appalachian Trail." (2010). | ||
Huckleberry Trail - a six mile greenway that runs between downtown Blacksburg and the New River Valley Mall in Christiansburg - named the 9th "Best Rail-Trail for Running" (2008) | ||
FloydFest - a world music and arts festival held annually in Floyd County - named a "Top 20 Outdoor Festival" (2008). | ||
| Virginia Tech Sports Atlantic Costal Conference (ACC) Championships - Football (2010-11, 2008-09, 2007-2008, 2004-2005), Softball (2007,2008), Men’s Indoor Track (2010-11, 2012-13, 2014-15, 2016-17), Women’s Indoor Track (2006-07, 2007-08), Women’s Outdoor Track & Field (2007, 2008, 2017), Men's Outdoor Track & Field (2012, 2016, 2017), Men's Cross Country (2012), Men's Golf (2007), Men's Swimming/Diving (2013-14), Wrestling (2012-13, 2013-14, 2016-17). Virginia Tech joined the ACC in 2004. | |
| NCAA Tournament appearances by Virginia Tech men's basketball: 2017 (9 seed), 2007 (5 Seed), 1996 (9 Seed), 1986 (7 Seed), 1985 (9 Seed), 1980 (7 Seed), 1979 (8 Seed), 1976, 1967 (Elite 8). | |
| Virginia Tech men's basketball wins over #1 ranked team in the country: 2011 (Duke), 2009 (Wake Forest), 2007 (UNC). | |
| Lane Stadium - home of Hokie Football - named the "Toughest Place in College Football for Opponents to Play" (2005). | |
| The New River - which makes up Montgomery County's western border - is the oldest river on the North American continent and second only to the Nile River in Africa as the oldest river in the world. | |
Business Awards | ||
| Blacksburg-based companies Modea (#521), UXB International (#1,854) and Harmonia (#4,800) named to Inc. Magazines’ list of the "5,000 fastest-growing privately held companies in the United States" (2011). | |
| Blacksburg-based Intrexon named by FierceBiotech as one of 2011’s "Fierce 15," designating it as one of the most promising private biotechnology companies in the industry. | |
 | Tuck Chiropractic Clinic - headquartered in Blacksburg - was recognized as one of Virginia’s "Fantastic 50" by the Virginia Chamber of Commerce (2011). | |
| Montgomery County businesses/leaders take home five of eight awards from the 2017 Roanoke-Blacksburg TechNite Banquet: Thomas "Tweeks" Weeks, Virginia Tech Cyber Range (Regional Go to Geek Award), Nick Cornwell, Shawsville Middle School (STEM-H Educator Award), Josep Bassaganya-Riera, BioTherapeutics (Innovator Award ), Qualtrax (Rising Star Award) and FluxTeq (People's Choice Award ). | |
 | Modea and Tuck Chiropractic Clinic - both headquartered in Blacksburg - were named a 2012 "Best Places to Work" by Virginia Business. | |
| Blacksburg startup Modea wins "Best Agency Culture Award" by AdAge for the 2011 Small Agency Awards. | |
| Green Valley Builders recognized as one of the best energy-efficient builders in the Commonwealth by receiving Earth Craft Virginia’s “Single Family Builder of the Year Award.” | |
 | Attimo Winery, located in Christiansburg, Virginia, won a "Double Gold and Best in Class" for their Sonnet 98, a 2010 Vidal Blanc, in the 2011 International Eastern Wine Competition. | |
| Blacksburg-based Adaptive Technologies, Inc. (ATI) was recognized as one of Virginia’s "Fantastic 50" by the Virginia Chamber of Commerce (2009). | |
| Blacksburg-based companies Modea (#221) and Harmonia (#4,474) were both named to Inc. Magazines’ list of the 5,000 fastest-growing privately held companies in the United States (2010). | |
Virginia | ||
 | Best State for Business" review. The review examines multiple objective measurements, including business cost, regulatory climate, quality of the workforce, and economic growth. Virginia took the top spot in 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009 and ranked second overall in 2010 and 2011. Forbes.com is the official Internet site of the Forbes family of business publications. Virginia ranked 5th "Best State for Business" in 2017. | |
 | Out of 50 states, Virginia came in first place for the 2019 rankings in CNBC's "Top States for Business 2019". The review ranks states according to 10 broad categories weighted on how frequently each category is used as a selling point for the state in their economic development marketing materials. These categories include workforce, infrastructure, cost of doing business, economy, quality of life, technology and innovation, education, business friendliness, access to capital, and cost of living. | |
Virginia is ranked the 2011 Top Pro-Business State by Pollina Corporate Real Estate. This is the third consecutive year that Virginia placed first, topping the 2011 ranking by the largest victory margin in the history of the study. The Pollina Corporate Top 10 Pro-Business States study examines 29 factors relative to states’ efforts to be pro-business, and is the most comprehensive examination of states to date. The study is limited to factors over which state government has control. The list reflects state leadership that truly understands the importance of producing the best job opportunities available for their constituents. The state governments at the top of the list understand that they must be very proactive in the international battle to keep and attract jobs. In total, this marks the fifth time the Commonwealth has held the top spot with previous top rankings garnered in 2003, 2007, 2009 and 2010. | ||
 | Virginia named the "Best State to Make a Living" in 2012. In jumping from fourth to first over 2011, Virginia improved its adjusted average income figure by $2,557. This year, Virginia enjoyed a best-of-both-worlds scenario in which its average income rose while its cost of living fell slightly. The state also saw its unemployment rate drop to 6.2 percent, which is well below the national average. | |
The Montgomery County Department of Economic Development (MCDED) offers a number of free and confidential services and resources to help companies large and small. We welcome the opportunity to provide direct assistance to companies interested in starting, expanding or relocating a business in Montgomery County, Blacksburg and Christiansburg. Contact us today!
