Blacksburg among fastest-growing places in Virginia

Montgomery County, Virginia - Blacksburg has been ranked one of the fastest-growing places in Virginia, according to NerdWallet.com. The San Francisco based financial information website recently ranked Blacksburg No. 3 on its list of the Fastest-Growing Cities in Virginia. NerdWallet attributed Blacksburg’s high ranking, in part, to new jobs at the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center and Falling Branch Corporate Park in Christiansburg.

To compile the top 10 list, Nerdwallet ranked "places" in Virginia using American Community Survey data from the U.S. Census Bureau. The three indicators of growth used in the ranking include: population growth, employment growth and income growth from 2009 to 2012. Within the top 10, Blacksburg ranked No 2 in income growth, No. 4 in employment growth and No. 9 in population growth.

Maggie Clark, NerdWallet writer, had the following commentary regarding Blacksburg:

Nestled into the New River Valley and home to Virginia Tech University, Blacksburg residents saw a 25.5% increase in income between 2009 and 2012, boosting this town to the third spot on our list. Some of that income growth can be attributed to new jobs at the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center and the Falling Branch Corporate Park in nearby Christiansburg, which house dozens of businesses primarily focused on science and technology. Virginia Tech University also partners with local businesses to offer research expertise and to help commercialize research projects started on campus. Alumni are also staying in town to start businesses: since 2010, at least 12 alumni have started businesses that have generated $13 million in economic growth for the community, according to the university.

Blacksburg’s ranking isn’t the first time that an area of Montgomery County has been recognized by NerdWallet. Just last year the website ranked Christiansburg No. 10 on its list of the Best Places in Virginia for Job Seekers.

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 in Montgomery County as well as the recruitment of new businesses to the community.  To learn more, visit www.YesMontgomeryVA.org.