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17 Reasons the Richmond Region is a growing hub for a young, educated workforce

January 2, 2017

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In honor of the new year, Greater Richmond Partnership has put together a list of 17 reasons RVA is quickly becoming a hot spot for a young, educated workforce. This past November, CoStar Group Inc., the leading provider of commercial real estate information, announced they’ll open a research center in the City of Richmond, bringing 732 jobs to the region.

We’re known as the ‘River City’ as a result of being home to the James River. The James River Park is 550 acres of shoreline and islands.
We’re a hot spot on the east coast for the Food & Beverage industry, home to lots of breweries and vineyards. See a complete list
The region is home to various higher education institutions.
We’re a mid-size, capital city, meaning we can enjoy the benefits of a state hub without the traffic and cost of living.
Buzzfeed included RVA in their 2013 list of the “Best Street Art in the World.”
We’re home to eight Fortune 500 companies:
- The Altria Group (#149)
- Performance Food Group (#185)
- CarMax, in Goochland (#191)
- Dominion Resources (#243)
- WestRock (formerly MeadWestvaco) (#251)
- Owens & Minor, in Hanover (#291)
- Genworth Financial, in Henrico (#306)
- Markel (#476)

VCU was ranked in the top 5 among Virginia’s 2017 Most Diverse Colleges.
The region is home to a variety of museums, including the Edgar Allan Poe Museum, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, and the Black History Museum and Cultural Center Of Virginia.
There’s something for everyone:
- Richmond International Raceway
- Squirrels Stadium
- Maymont Park
- College Basketball at VCU or U of R
We were named in Forbes’ top ten list of Up and Coming Cities for Entrepreneurs.
The Richmond Region hosts various festivals throughout the year, including the Strawberry Festival, The Bacon Festival, and Dominion RiverRock. For a full list, click here.
Our overall cost of living is five percent below the national average.
University of Richmond’s Jepson School is the first of its kind in the world with an undergraduate program in leadership studies.
Richmond residents are highly educated, compared to the national average.
Richmond was named among America’s 50 best running cities in 2016.
We’re an arts-friendly city, home to the Richmond Symphony, First Fridays Art Walk, and the Richmond Ballet.
Popular films like ‘Hannibal’ and ‘Lincoln’ plus TV shows like ‘Mercy Street’ and ‘Turn’ are filmed here. For a full list, click here.