Affordable
- Cost of Living - 23% less than NE United States & 40% less than Europe
- Stable taxes and manufacturing costs 18% below the national average
- Robust fiber with speeds to 1 Terabyte per second
- Abundant supply of water and excess waste water capacity
- Major TRANSCO gas line
- Competitive electric rates
Accessible
- Within 1 day’s drive to 60% of the US Population and 2/3rd of the US Industrial Base
- Designated Interstate 785 with connections to I-40 and I-85
- Rail service provided by Norfolk Southern
- Direct route to Mid-Atlantic Gateway at Port of Virginia
- Access to 7 domestic/international airports within 2.5 hours. An hour's drive from 4 commercial airports
Skilled - Extraordinary Skilled Workforce, Credentialed and Ready
- SoVa employs a workforce where 18% work in manufacturing
- Employees are accustomed to shift-work, team-work, and critical thinking
- The region has made significant investments in the K-12 to higher education pipeline
- Home to industry-recognized workforce partners and credentials
- A legacy workforce in precision machining and advanced materials with robust, industry-driven training solutions
- An industry led collaborative hub supported by applied research centers, community colleges, and universities
Commitment from public and private sector leaders for focus on advanced manufacturing excellence
- Over $200 M invested
- $150 M in the Berry Hill Megasite
- $68 M in the advanced manufacturing precision machining educational pipeline
- Industry driven solutions for development, design, and workforce credentialed solutions
- The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research hosts the Piedmont Governor’s School for Mathematics, Science, and Technology and the Academy for Engineering and Technology
- ACT Certified Workforce Ready Community with over 7,659 Region National Career Readiness Certificates
Superior Quality of Life – You will love to call Southern Virginia Home
- Surrounded by Smith Mountain, Philpott, Hyco and Kerr Lakes with the Dan River and Staunton River winding through the region
- Mountains, streams, national and state parks, and forests plus a vibrant culture of music, arts and history
- Nationally ranked golf, bike trails, equestrian facilities and many other indoor and outdoor recreation facilities
- Renowned retreats, spas, dining, and lodging
- Experience a renaissance of restored historical lofts, Victorian mansions, main street communities, museums, and new housing, lake and river homes, or your choice of urban or country living
- Enjoy the myriad of wineries, breweries, distilleries and other new and reinvigorated assets attracting millennials and delighting all ages with a commitment to life around the river districts throughout our region
