Murals in Blacksburg, VA

Blacksburg Named #1 Safest City in Virginia for 2018

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BLACKSBURG, VA – Blacksburg is the no. 1 Safest City in Virginia for 2018 according to alarms.org and the National Council for Home Safety and Security.

According to alarms.org, Blacksburg averages just 0.97 violent crimes per 1,000 inhabitants. With rates like that, it’s no wonder why Blacksburg is the safest city in Virginia.

This ranking was based off the latest FBI Uniform Crime Report statistics, population data, and other research. Towns and cities with populations under 10,000 were eliminated for this ranking.

Crime Rate Comparisons

chart comparing crime rates in Blacksburg, VA, Virginia, and the U.S. Blacksburg is the Safest City in Virginia

Other communities in Virginia’s New River Valley also have high safety rankings. Niche rated Narrows, which is a community in Giles County, as the #4 Safest Town in Virginia.

For more information read the alarms.org article or WSET news report.

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Virginia’s New River Valley: For those searching for an inspiring place to live and do business, Virginia’s New River Valley provides both an eclectic small town atmosphere and an innovative, collaborative business community with a loyal, highly skilled, and educated workforce. Offering the best of all worlds – magnificent mountains, cutting-edge research, arts, entertainment, and education – it’s A NATURAL FIT.

Onward NRV: Onward NRV is a public/private, regional economic development organization whose mission is to attract and retain world class jobs, investment and talent in Virginia’s New River Valley. It’s also a movement where leaders from business, government, and higher education work together to promote the economic vitality of the region.

Couple walks arm in arm in Downtown Blacksburg

Radford #1 and Blacksburg #6 Best Places for Singles in Virginia

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NEW RIVER VALLEY, VA – If you’re looking for love in the NRV, then you’re in the right place. Radford (#1) and Blacksburg (#6) were ranked some of the best places for singles in Virginia, according to homesnacks.net.

Couple walks arm in arm in Downtown Blacksburg

Best Places for Singles in VA:
1. Radford
2. Charlottesville
3. Richmond
4. Alexandria
5. Harrisonburg
6. Blacksburg
7. Norfolk
8. Fredericksburg
9. Hampton
10. Winchester

The ratings are based on information from the 2011-2015 American Community Survey Census data.

Looking for things to do in the NRV on V-Day? Check out the special event at the Radford Theater, or the Valentine’s Charity Vinyasa Yoga Class for the Big Heart Foundation at In Balance Yoga in Blacksburg.

For a larger list of all things Valentine’s Day happening in Virginia’s New River Valley, check out this list from Next 3 Days.

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Virginia’s New River Valley: For those searching for an inspiring place to live and do business, Virginia’s New River Valley provides both an eclectic small town atmosphere and an innovative, collaborative business community with a loyal, highly skilled, and educated workforce. Offering the best of all worlds – magnificent mountains, cutting-edge research, arts, entertainment, and education – it’s A NATURAL FIT.

Onward NRV: Onward NRV is a public/private, regional economic development organization whose mission is to attract and retain world class jobs, investment and talent in Virginia’s New River Valley. It’s also a movement where leaders from business, government, and higher education work together to promote the economic vitality of the region.

NRV Top Posts of 2018

Narrows the #4 Safest Place to Live in Virginia

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NARROWS, VA – The Town of Narrows in Giles County, Virginia was named the #4 Safest Place to Live in Virginia by Niche.com, a website which ranks best places to live, school districts, colleges, and more. The ranking assesses 9,932 places in the U.S. and was formulated based on data mainly from the Federal Bureau of Investigation Uniform Crime Report.
The 2017 Safest Places ranking provides a comprehensive assessment of the overall safety in an area. This grade takes into account key indicators of a location’s safety, including violent and property crime rates as well as resident reviews, in an attempt to measure an area’s safety and security.

Read more from Niche and their methodology used to create these rankings.

Living in or visiting Narrows? There’s plenty to discover.

Explore more accolades won by NRV counties, city, towns, and universities here.

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Virginia’s New River Valley: For those searching for an inspiring place to live and do business, Virginia’s New River Valley provides both an eclectic small town atmosphere and an innovative, collaborative business community with a loyal, highly skilled, and educated workforce. Offering the best of all worlds – magnificent mountains, cutting-edge research, arts, entertainment, and education – it’s A NATURAL FIT. Onward NRV: Onward NRV is a public/private, regional economic development organization whose mission is to attract and retain world class jobs, investment and talent in Virginia’s New River Valley. It’s also a movement where leaders from business, government, and higher education work together to promote the economic vitality of the region.

Floyd and Giles in Top 15 Counties in VA to Buy a House

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NEW RIVER VALLEY, VA – Both Floyd and Giles Counties ranked in the top 15 for Niche’s 2017 Best Counties to Buy a House in Virginia. The housing rankings were formulated based off data from the U.S. Census, the FBI, Zillow, and other data sources. The rankings include 90 counties in Virginia.

Floyd County ranked in at #6. Floyd County is a unique community perched on the Blue Ridge Plateau and is very well known for its music scene. The natural beauty, arts, and diversity make Floyd County a natural fit for homebuyers in Virginia’s New River Valley.

Giles County, known as Virginia’s Mountain Playground, is ranked at #14. With 50 miles of the Appalachian Trail running through Giles County, it’s perfect for outdoor enthusiasts and people looking for a quiet spot that’s still near plenty to do.

For more information on housing in Virginia’s New River Valley, check out the Nest Realty quarterly housing report.

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Virginia’s New River Valley: For those searching for an inspiring place to live and do business, Virginia’s New River Valley provides both an eclectic small town atmosphere and an innovative, collaborative business community with a loyal, highly skilled, and educated workforce. Offering the best of all worlds – magnificent mountains, cutting-edge research, arts, entertainment, and education – it’s A NATURAL FIT.

Onward NRV: Onward NRV is a public/private, regional economic development organization whose mission is to attract and retain world class jobs, investment and talent in Virginia’s New River Valley. It’s also a movement where leaders from business, government, and higher education work together to promote the economic vitality of the region.

Carilion NRV a Top Hospital for Nurses in VA

Carilion New River Valley Voted A Top Hospital for Nurses

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NEW RIVER VALLEY, VA — Carilion New River Valley Medical Center was named a top hospital for nurses to work in 2017. Coming in at no. 7 in the entire Commonwealth of Virginia, this ranking is calculated from surveys from nurses themselves.

2017 Best Hospitals in VA

Nurse.org looked at over 1,800 surveys from nurses in 314 hospitals across the state. The average rating for Carilion NRV was at 4.1/5 and it came 94% recommended by the surveyed nurses.

“We’re excited to be able to recognize Carilion New River Valley Medical Center for providing an excellent work environment for our nurses,” said Nurse.org Product Manager Phillip Lee. “Our survey data shows the hospital ranks in the top 2% in the state for nurse job satisfaction. By supporting nurses through an educational hospital where nurses can thrive and be successful, they are leaving a positive impact on their community.”

Some anonymous quotes from the reviews say:

“The staff is friendly and helpful. All disciplines work very well as a team. Your input is valued and heard. It is a busy place. You can obtain great skills and knowledge.”

“Great place to work. Excellent care and working environment, very safe.”

“It’s a great place to work. Great nurse PT ratios They care about you and we all work together as a team.”

Virginia’s New River Valley is a great place for nurses to live, including those still going to school. Radford University has an excellent nursing program, which will expand soon.

Visit Carilion NRV Medical Center for more information or to view job opportunities.

Read more at NRV News.

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Virginia’s New River Valley: For those searching for an inspiring place to live and do business, Virginia’s New River Valley provides both an eclectic small town atmosphere and an innovative, collaborative business community with a loyal, highly skilled, and educated workforce. Offering the best of all worlds – magnificent mountains, cutting-edge research, arts, entertainment, and education – it’s A NATURAL FIT.

Onward NRV: Onward NRV is a public/private, regional economic development organization whose mission is to attract and retain world class jobs, investment and talent in Virginia’s New River Valley. It’s also a movement where leaders from business, government, and higher education work together to promote the economic vitality of the region.

VT College of Engineering #9 Among Public Institutions

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BLACKSBURG, VA — Virginia Tech’s College of Engineering ranks 9th among public institutions, according U.S. News & World Report’s 2018 Best College Rankings.

The college of engineering is also 14th among all national universities. Read more about programs offered and engineering news at https://eng.vt.edu/

Overall, Virginia Tech is ranked the 25th best public university and 69th for all national universities.

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Virginia’s New River Valley: For those searching for an inspiring place to live and do business, Virginia’s New River Valley provides both an eclectic small town atmosphere and an innovative, collaborative business community with a loyal, highly skilled, and educated workforce. Offering the best of both worlds – magnificent mountains, cutting-edge research, arts, entertainment, and education – it’s A NATURAL FIT.

Onward NRV: Onward NRV is a public/private, regional economic development organization whose mission is to attract and retain world class jobs, investment and talent in Virginia’s New River Valley. It’s also a movement where leaders from business, government, and higher education work together to promote the economic vitality of the region.

Pete Dye River Course Named the #20 Best Golf Course in VA

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FAIRLAWN, VA — The Pete Dye River Course of Virginia Tech was named the no. 20 best golf course in Virginia by Golf Digest (2017-2018).

The course, which finished it’s update by Course Architect Pete Dye in 2006, has been 2011 NCAA Regional Championships and the 2016 Virginia State Amateur Championship. It is the home course for all Radford University and Virginia Tech golf teams, and continues to be one of the top courses in the region. Dye said:

“This place has all the ambience and qualities that make a golf course really good. Here you’ve got the sound of the river up and down the whole golf course the entire time…the river and scenery are unbelievable.”

For more information about the course visit the River Course site. See what else there is to do in Virginia’s New River Valley by clicking below.

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Virginia’s New River Valley: For those searching for an inspiring place to live and do business, Virginia’s New River Valley provides both an eclectic small town atmosphere and an innovative, collaborative business community with a loyal, highly skilled, and educated workforce. Offering the best of both worlds – magnificent mountains, cutting-edge research, arts, entertainment, and education – it’s A NATURAL FIT.

Onward NRV: Onward NRV is a public/private, regional economic development organization whose mission is to attract and retain world class jobs, investment and talent in Virginia’s New River Valley. It’s also a movement where leaders from business, government, and higher education work together to promote the economic vitality of the region.

Virginia Ranked the #7 Most Innovative State

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NEW RIVER VALLEY, VA — The Commonwealth of Virginia was ranked the no. 7 most innovative state by Forbes. Advanced technology has greatly developed in Virginia and is expected to continue flourishing. In the original article, Forbes notes:

“[Virginia] is noteworthy for having the highest share of technology companies in the country. It ranked second for projected STEM job demand by 2020.”

Rackspace Web Hosting, Located in the VT Corporate Research Center in Blacksburg, VA, boasts an open, laid-back work environment for their IT professionals.

Virginia’s New River Valley names Information Technology as one of the targeted industries for the region. Optimal office space, cutting-edge resources, and access to talent make the NRV an excellent fit for technology-related businesses. The lower cost of living and sophisticated culture in our collection of down-to-earth small towns make the region a great fit for people interested in working in IT.

Cover photo features the interior space at Qualtrax, a compliance software company located in Downtown Blacksburg.

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Virginia’s New River Valley: For those searching for an inspiring place to live and do business, Virginia’s New River Valley provides both an eclectic small town atmosphere and an innovative, collaborative business community with a loyal, highly skilled, and educated workforce. Offering the best of both worlds – magnificent mountains, cutting-edge research, arts, entertainment, and education – it’s A NATURAL FIT.

Onward NRV: Onward NRV is a public/private, regional economic development organization whose mission is to attract and retain world class jobs, investment and talent in Virginia’s New River Valley. It’s also a movement where leaders from business, government, and higher education work together to promote the economic vitality of the region.

Radford the #21 Most Wallet-Friendly College City

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RADFORD, VA — The city of Radford ranks no. 21 for “wallet-friendliness” among college towns and cities, according to WalletHub. Home of Radford University, Radford has a high population of students, and plenty of low-cost options for entertainment.

Source: WalletHub

The ranking is based on the following metrics:

  • Housing Costs Note: This metric measures the price of a two-bedroom apartment rental.
  • Adjusted Cost of Living for Young People
  • Share of Rental Units
  • Average Monthly Fitness-Club Fee
  • Average Cost of Pizza & Burgers
  • Cost of Higher Education Note: This metric measures the average tuition fee weighted by the number of students.
  • Student Loan Debt per Person

    • Learn more about the City of Radford and Radford University.

    Check out more of the higher education options in the NRV here.

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    Virginia’s New River Valley: For those searching for an inspiring place to live and do business, Virginia’s New River Valley provides both an eclectic small town atmosphere and an innovative, collaborative business community with a loyal, highly skilled, and educated workforce. Offering the best of both worlds – magnificent mountains, cutting-edge research, arts, entertainment, and education – it’s A NATURAL FIT.

    Onward NRV: Onward NRV is a public/private, regional economic development organization whose mission is to attract and retain world class jobs, investment and talent in Virginia’s New River Valley. It’s also a movement where leaders from business, government, and higher education work together to promote the economic vitality of the region.

    Virginia Tech Students Ranked #19 Happiest

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    Blacksburg, VA – In a recently conducted survey by The Princeton Review, Virginia Tech students ranked the #19 happiest students on college campuses in the U.S. The study covered almost 400 colleges and universities and was based on real student input on their college experience.

    The Princeton Review asks students questions about:

  • Academics & administration
  • Life at their college
  • Fellow students; and
  • Themselves

    • To see the complete Top 20 visit The Princeton Review or Town & Country.

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    Virginia’s New River Valley: For those searching for an inspiring place to live and do business, Virginia’s New River Valley provides both an eclectic small town atmosphere and an innovative, collaborative business community with a loyal, highly skilled, and educated workforce. Offering the best of both worlds – magnificent mountains, cutting-edge research, arts, entertainment, and education – it’s A NATURAL FIT.

    Onward NRV: Onward NRV is a public/private, regional economic development organization whose mission is to attract and retain world class jobs, investment and talent in Virginia’s New River Valley. It’s also a movement where leaders from business, government, and higher education work together to promote the economic vitality of the region.