• Industry Overview

    • Virginia: America’s Corporate Hometown

    For decades, Virginia has been a top place for business. Home to 35 Fortune 1000 company headquarters, Virginia has the right business environment for success. 

    Unparalleled Workforce Quality

    A Virginia location gives companies access to world-class talent. Virginia’s nationally ranked colleges and universities are preparing the workforce of tomorrow, today. The Commonwealth provides students high-quality education from some of the nation’s best schools at the cutting edge of technology and science, critical thinking, business skills, and advanced degrees to serve the many skill sets needed for a headquarters location.

    3 top public universities

    Three of the country’s top 30 public universities as ranked by U.S. News & World Report are in Virginia.

    550,000+ students

    Are enrolled in Virginia’s colleges and universities each year – the 11th-highest enrollment in the country.

    38% Have a Bachelor's Degree

    Making the Commonwealth the sixth most educated state in the country (and first in the South).

    Maggie Walker Governor's School

    Maggie Walker Governor's School

    Developing the Talent of Tomorrow

    Virginia’s K-12 system prepares students from a young age for success in a modern economy. The Commonwealth’s leaders have made access to STEM education a priority for students.

    • In 2018, Virginia was the 11th-ranked state in the country for percentage of 11th and 12th graders who were enrolled in an AP course.
    • The Commonwealth was the first state in the nation to adopt CS standards across the K-12 continuum, having integrated these disciplines into Standards of Learning (SOLs) in 2016.
    • The 2019 U.S. News & World Report's "America's Best High Schools" ranks 278 out of 323 Virginia high schools among the top 75% of nationally ranked high schools. Fairfax County’s Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology is ranked as the 4th "Best High School" in the nation, 2019.
    • Wallet Hub ranks Virginia as one of the best school systems (No. 4) in their 2020 States with the Best & Worst School Systems ranking.
    • In 2018, more than 65% of high school graduates continue to a two-or four-year degree program or other continuing education plan.
    Capital One

    Capital One, Fairfax County

    Virginia’s Existing Talent Base is Substantial and Diverse

    Virginia’s existing talent base is substantial and diverse for new headquarters operations entering the state.

    • 2nd-highest concentration of tech workers in the country according to Cyberstates 2020.
    • 4th-largest population of working age veterans according to the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs in 2019.
    • One of the largest pools of international talent nationwide is in Northern Virginia. Between 2010 and 2018, the area saw the U.S.’s 7th-largest growth in international population.
    • In 2019, 24/7 Wall St. ranked Charlottesville (No. 3), Fredericksburg (No. 11) and Norfolk (No. 15) among the top places young people are moving.
    • The Washington, D.C. area ranked as Best City for Women in Tech in 2019, according to SmartAsset.
    • According to a 2019 Emsi report, 17% of high-tech workers in the D.C. Metro region are African American.
    • Virginia ranked 2nd Best State for Higer Education, according to SmartAsset 2020.

    We wanted to choose a location where we could be successful as a company, but also needed to choose a location where our employees can thrive … a region of inclusivity and diversity. The primary driver of this entire project was talent. Not just day one talent, but the opportunity to evaluate a talent pipeline.

    Holly Sullivan Head of Worldwide Economic Development, Amazon

    Virginia Provides Diverse Headquarters Options

    At the center of the East Coast, Virginia is an ideal location for attracting talent and its regional diversity offers choices for a company choosing a new headquarters location. Headquarters in Virginia mostly concentrate in the Commonwealth’s larger MSAs in Northern Virginia, Richmond, Hampton Roads, and Roanoke.

    Richmond

    In Richmond, a company will find a thriving, dynamic, revitalized metro with a rich culture, historic sites, an attractive lifestyle, a lively art scene, and a large corporate community for a region its size. The Greater Richmond region has several potential sites that are suitable for corporate headquarters. Options range from downtown high-rises along the James River to suburban, master-planned office parks.

    Hampton Roads

    Hampton Roads is an inclusive, historic region in southeastern Virginia that boasts 2,600 miles of shoreline and a rich quality of life enjoyed by 20% of Virginia’s population. Hampton Roads is home to world-class port facilities, major military commands, and diverse real estate. Options range from Fort Monroe, a scenic and historic location surrounded by water, to a 300-acre greenfield property near the Port of Virginia in Suffolk, to an urban campus minutes from the beach at the Virginia Beach Town Center.

    Roanoke

    The Roanoke region is the largest metropolitan region in western Virginia. Residents enjoy a thriving outdoor culture that includes the Appalachian Trail, Blue Ridge Parkway, James River, and Smith Mountain Lake. The region is home to 600 miles of trails, 22 miles of urban greenways, 24 rivers and creeks, 300,000 acres of national forest, and the 2nd-largest municipal park in the United States (Carvins Cove). Class A office space is available in the region, including locations in downtown Roanoke.

    Northern Virginia

    Northern Virginia is part of the Washington, D.C. MSA, the largest producer of tech talent in the country. NOVA is one of the country’s most diverse and international regions, providing residents vibrant, cosmopolitan communities to call home. Real estate options range from greenfield sites in Loudoun and Fairfax to skyscrapers perched atop the Potomac River with views of the nation's capital.

    Public Transit

    Northern Virginia is home to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), which operates the 2nd-largest heavy-rail transit system and the 6th-largest bus network in the U.S.

    Commute Times

    Hampton Roads and Richmond have average commute times of approximately 24 and 25 minutes, respectively, and Richmond has been ranked as the least-congested large metro area in the country according to Business Insider 2019.

    Multimodal Travel

    Richmond and Hampton Roads are investing in multimodal public transit and commuting systems, including BRT in Richmond and light rail in Hampton Roads.

    Dulles

    Washington Dulles International Airport

    A Leader in Digital and Physical Connectivity

    Virginia’s physical & digital connectivity allows access to data, customers, and world-wide destinations.

    • An early pioneer in internet technology, Virginia has the largest concentration of data centers in the world and the digital infrastructure to support that concentration.
    • Virginia’s commercial airports provide nonstop service to 160 destinations worldwide, including Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and Washington Dulles International Airport, two of the nation’s busiest.
    • Washington Dulles serves 57 international destinations with direct service from 33 carriers.
    • Virginia’s location in the Eastern time zone makes keeping in touch with international locations easier than a location on the West Coast.
    • Amtrak Virginia offers rail service to more than 23 stations throughout the Commonwealth with 1-train access to cities like Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, New York, and Boston in the Northeast corridor.

    Living in Virginia

    Virginia 4 best school systems
    Virginia 1 best quality of life
    Virginia 4 State Where Millennials are Moving

    Virginia offers ready access to wide-ranging cultural and recreational amenities and desirable housing options.

    • Richmond and localities in Northern Virginia are routinely ranked as some of the most LGBTQ-friendly communities in the country by the Human Rights Campaign's Municipal Equality Index.
    • Hampton Roads offers more than 2,600 miles of shoreline and outdoor activities like surfing, fishing, and boating for every weekend warrior.
    • The Roanoke region is an outdoors paradise with assets such as the Appalachian Trail, Blue Ridge Parkway, James River, and Smith Mountain Lake.
    • Richmond is a creative hotbed with an arts reputation grounded in world-class art education – VCU School of the Arts is ranked 2nd in the country.
    • Virginia has a low crime rate, ranking No.4 nationally in lowest rates of violent crime and No.11 nationally in lowest rates of property crime by U.S. News in 2019.
    • Virginia ranked No.6 Most Charitable State by WalletHub in 2018, which is of particular interest to companies interested in giving back to their communities.
    • The Commonwealth is ranked No. 1 by Forbes.com for best quality of life in its "Best States for Business" 2018 study.
    • Virginia is a wine and craft beer destination unlike any other, with more than 250 wineries and more than 250 craft breweries.
    Veritas

    Veritas, Nelson County

    Blue Ridge Parkway

    Blue Ridge Parkway

    Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden

    Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden

    America's Top State for Business

    Virginia is consistently ranked as a top location for business, and boasts a stable pro-business climate. Virginia’s strategic location in the Mid-Atlantic, low costs for operations, renowned talent, and robust infrastructure are the reasons many U.S. and international companies call the Commonwealth home. In addition, a Virginia location offers companies close proximity to the federal government and regulatory agencies.

    Virginia 1 top state for business
    Virginia is 3 best state for business regulatory environment
    Smart Asset Higher Ed Ranking 2
    Carmax

    Carmax, Goochland County

    Virginia Offers a Welcoming Business Climate for Companies

    • In 2019, unemployment insurance taxes are the 5th-lowest in the nation and 43% lower than the national average.
    • Workers' compensation costs are among the nation’s lowest (ranked No. 5).
    • Building costs range from 7% to 19% below the national average, depending on the region.
    • The corporate income tax rate of 6%, not increased since 1972, demonstrates the Commonwealth’s stability for business.
    • Effective tax rates for corporate headquarters ranked No. 12 by the Tax Foundation in the 2015 Location Matters study.
    • AAA bond rating, maintained since 1938 - longer than any other state - demonstrates a well-managed, fiscally responsible state government.
    • Incentives are available for major corporate headquarters projects, including:

    Major Eligible Employer Grant Program

    The Major Eligible Employer Grant Program (MEE), a discretionary program used to encourage major basic employers to invest in Virginia and to provide a significant number of stable employment opportunities by either making a significant expansion to existing operations or constructing new ones.

    Tax Credits

    Tax credits of $1,000 for each new full-time job created over a threshold number of jobs are available to qualified companies locating or expanding in Virginia.

    VEDIG Program

    The Virginia Economic Development Incentive Grant program (VEDIG), which assists and encourages companies to invest and create new employment opportunities by locating significant headquarters, administrative, or service sector operations in Virginia.

    Lidl Launches Expansion into U.S.

    In need of two sites and two workforces, Virginia presented Lidl with the best business case to successfully compete.

    Read the Case Study

    Ferguson Seeks State-of-the-Art Corporate Headquarters Site

    Ferguson had grown from a local distributor to the nation's leading distributor of residential and commercial plumbing supplies, and still needed to grow its team by hundreds of employees to keep up with its growth.

    Read the Case Study
    VER Q1 2019 Cover HQ

    Virginia Economic Review

    The first issue of Virginia Economic Review wass all about tech companies, tech talent, and tech education in one of America’s top states for tech. Article highlights include:

    • The Big Reveal - Our feature article tells the story of how (and why) Amazon came to choose Arlington in Northern Virginia for the biggest economic development win in modern U.S. history
    • The New Dominion – An overview of tech headquarters in Virginia and why so many tech companies, large and small, choose Virginia
    • On Target for Tech Talent – A look at Virginia’s plan to double its tech-talent pipeline at insights into this plan at all levels of education from K-12 through post-grad
    • High Tech Comes to the Coalfields – An inside peek to at how Southwest Virginia entered the information age with significant tech wins
    Read the Full Issue