Livability

The communities in Southern Virginia and Northern North Carolina were built on a strong work ethic that continues into the 21st century, and its charm is complemented by plentiful opportunities for arts, culture, and recreation.

 

Ballad Brewery, Danville
Appian, Fairfax County
Appian, Fairfax County

Virginia Values

In 2020, Virginia became the first state in the South to extend workplace anti-discrimination protections to the LGBTQ+ community. The Virginia Values Act (VVA) expands the Virginia Human Rights Act by including the LGBTQ+ community and by increasing the number of employers subject to the law. Before this expansion, the Virginia Human Rights Act was only applicable to small employers, but these new changes extended the law’s protections for non-age-related discrimination to any employer with more than five employees. 

Choose Southern Virginia

Virginia Tech Innovation Campus Rendering, Alexandria
Alexandria Waterfront

Early Achievement

More than 30 percent of Fairfax County residents were born outside the U.S. In Alexandria’s public school system, students come from more than 125 countries and speak 87 languages, and in Arlington’s, they come from 114 countries and speak 99 languages. In the past decade, Loudoun County’s foreign-born population quadrupled in number and went from 11.3% to 25.2% of the overall population.

All Are Welcome

NOVA celebrates its status as one of the country’s most diverse communities in terms of ethnicity, race, and country of origin. The region is also extremely inclusive — our cities are routinely ranked as some of the most LGBTQ friendly communities in the country.

Gravelly Point, Arlington
Gravelly Point, Arlington

Top 10 Best Cities in the US to Move to Right Now

Living in Southern Virginia

Southern Virginia was built on a strong work ethic that continues into the 21st century, and its small-town charm is complemented by plentiful opportunities for arts, culture, and recreation. Steeped in motorsports history, the region boasts VIRginia International Raceway in Halifax County, one of the world’s finest road courses; South Boston Motor Speedway, a NASCAR-sanctioned race track that has hosted Busch Series Grand National Racing since 1982; and the Martinsville Speedway, which hosts four major NASCAR-sponsored auto races attracting in excess of 100,000 spectators annually.

The Riverwalk on the Dan is a popular amenity valued for its natural beauty, and four major lakes in the region provide a large variety of water-related activities like swimming, wind surfing, water-skiing, boating, fishing, and sailing.

Arts are a priority in the region, and the array of options includes the Museum of Fine Arts and History in Danville, an affiliate of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts; the Piedmont Arts Association, which sponsors many workshops, displays, and special events; and the Virginia Museum of Natural History, a Smithsonian-affiliated museum in Martinsville. TheaterWorks, Piedmont Playmakers, the Martinsville Community Chorus, and the Martinsville Opera Society all provide outlets for amateur talent.

Danville Museum Of Fine Arts And History
River Walk, Danville
Martinsville Speedway