If you are thinking of relocating to Northern Virginia, you already know that it is a great place to live. Not for nothing did both Loudoun and Fairfax Counties rank in Movoto’s top ten places to live in the United States — they, along with all parts of NoVa, feature great housing in fantastic communities, ripe employment opportunities, and countless attractions. The resident quality of life is superb, and the area is equally engaging for singles, families, and empty-nesters.
One of the most exciting developments in Northern Virginia right now is One Loudoun, situated in Loudoun County. A mixed-use development that combined homes, office space, shopping, and entertainment, One Loudoun has earned its moniker as “Loudoun’s New Downtown.” There are nearly three million square feet of office space in One Loudoun, anchored by The World Trade Center Dulles Airport — the first (and only) WTC to be admitted to the International Association of Science Parks (IASP), which represents over 300 science and technology parks in 90 countries. Not only is One Loudoun an exciting place to live and work, but it is also, by way of the WTC, bringing a name for scientific development and technology to the area.
Of course, it doesn’t hurt that the job market in NoVa is generally robust. Employment in the area is concentrated largely on healthcare, technology, and consumer services. Jobs are growing in all sectors, including private employers, universities, military installations, and federal agencies. Major employers include George Mason University, which boasts 34,000 students and 7,000 staff positions across three campuses in Fairfax, Arlington and Prince William Counties; Verizon, which has over 5,000 employees in Northern Virginia; Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), which is a technology integrator in the technical, engineering, intelligence, and enterprise information technology markets with 3,000 employees based in McLean, and the United States Geological Survey (USGS), which is a unit of the U.S. Department of the Interior that collects, monitors, analyzes, and provides scientific understanding about natural resource conditions, issues, and problems. It has about 3,000 employees in Northern Virginia. And this is just a small sampling of the large employers in the area!
We mentioned George Mason University, but it is just one of the many colleges and universities in the Northern Virginia region. Residents here are by and large a very educated bunch, and a fair chunk of the population is made up of students attending school here. Marymount, the Northern Virginia center for UVA and Virginia Tech in Falls Church, and Northern Virginia Community College are all local. Just a reasonable commute outside the area are Georgetown University and the University of Maryland.
Still need convincing? How about amazing history (Mt. Vernon and Manassas National Battlefields), great sports teams (the NFL’s Washington Redskins, the NBA’s Washington Wizards, the NHL’s Washington Capitals), and incredible weather all four seasons of the year? No matter how you focus things, Northern Virginia is a wonderful choice for relocation.
