| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 22, 2013 Montgomery County, Virginia Economic Development Department | |
Montgomery County, Virginia – The Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford metropolitan statistical area has once again been recognized for its 2012 economic performance. The Milken Institute's annual index of the best performing cities ranked the Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford metro area the No. 32 Best-Performing Small City of 2012. Most impressively, the metro skyrocketed 128 spots over its 2011 ranking - making it the biggest mover on the list.
According to the Milken Institute – a nonprofit, nonpartisan economic think tank – the Best-Performing Cities index is designed to gauge how well U.S. metro areas are creating and sustaining jobs and economic growth. The Best-Performing Small Cities index ranked the 179 metropolitan statistical areas in the U.S. with populations of 200,000 or less using measures of job, wage, and technology performance.
Nestled in the beautiful mountains of Virginia, the Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford metro area – known locally as the New River Valley – has a population of 162,487 and includes the counties of Montgomery, Pulaski and Giles. The region is designated a metropolitan statistical area by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget due to its high degree of economic and social integration.
In addition to its No. 32 overall Best-Performing Small Cities ranking, the Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford metro area ranked in the top 50 within the following subcategories of the index:
The Milken Institute isn’t the first organization to recognize the Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford metro area for its strong economic performance. In 2012, the metro was ranked the No. 5 Best Small City for Jobs by Forbes, the No. 2 American City Adding Jobs by 24/7 Wall St, and the No. 20 Best Mid-Size City for Economic Strength by Area Development Magazine.
About Us
Montgomery County, Virginia - home of Virginia Tech and the towns of Blacksburg and Christiansburg - is a progressive, technology-driven community with an abundance of outdoor amenities. The Montgomery County Economic Development Department actively supports the startup, retention and expansion of companies already in Montgomery County as well as the recruitment of new businesses to the community. To learn more, visit www.YesMontgomeryVA.org.
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!
