Top Reasons Why Charlottesville Should Be Your Next Place To Live
Charlottesville has been at the center of some much-deserved attention in the press – the most recent news was being named the “Happiest City in the Nation,” according to the Harvard Gazette.
Our area has drawn the attention of university students who stay after graduation, people in the medical field that choose UVA or Martha Jefferson Hospital, young families that move here for the school system and quality of life, and retirees that have decided they want a four-season climate rather than deal with the hurricanes and hot weather in Florida or the dry heat of Arizona.
Charlottesville has been named by Money magazine as one of America’s “Top 100 Cities” and ranked by Frommer’s* as “The Best Place to Live in America” as well as many other accolades, almost too numerous to mention:
- Outside magazine: One of Seven Dream Towns That Has it All
- Kiplinger’s Personal Finance: #2 Healthiest Place to Live in America
- Men’s Journal: #3 Healthiest Small City to Live in America
- Reader’s Digest: Top Ten Places in the Country to Raise a Family
- American Health: Top Ten Healthiest Cities for Women
- Golf Digest: Best Retirement City for Golfers
- Tennis Magazine: Best Tennis Town
- A&E Television: One of the Best Places to Live in America
- Modern Maturity magazine: Most Alive Places to Live
What draws people here?
What is it about Charlottesville that draws so many people here? It’s a combination of our thriving economy – centered by the University of Virginia – spectacular mountain and country scenery, four-season climate, superb arts and recreational activities, the surrounds of Albemarle County, and history in the form of Monticello, Ash Lawn-Highland and Montpelier.
Outdoors lovers have a host of choices, from hiking the Appalachian Trail or other hikes reached by the Skyline Drive, rafting the Rivanna River to snowboarding at Wintergreen or Massanutten Resorts. Golf courses abound, and the city has a fantastic system of biking and walking trails and maintains nearly two-dozen public parks.
The city is very cosmopolitan for its size and appeals to people in every stage of life, from singles to young families to downsizers and retirees.
Entrepreneurs have discovered Charlottesville’s hospitable climate for start-up businesses, and the former Martha Jefferson Hospital building near Downtown is just one such example of a successful changeover to the private sector.
The top communities check list starts with economic vitality; then excellent health care; quality education – from early childhood through college; accessibility to markets and workforce opportunity; affordability – everything from housing and taxes to groceries; and, of course natural beauty.
The greater Charlottesville area is home to significant large employers from UVA and its Health System to NGIC/DIA, Northrup Grumman and several other technology-related companies.
The public school system is top notch. The Charlottesville City School Division serves more than 4,000 students who are spread across six elementary, one upper elementary, one middle and one high school. And our usually top-ranked public university brings an ever changing young population to the area, along with amazing cultural and educational opportunities.
There are also a steadily growing number of early childhood centers, an array of excellent private schools, to a leading community college – Piedmont Virginia Community College – where many students have already realized that they can get their core courses out of the way before applying and transferring to other universities. The University’s Osher Life-long Learning Institute and other University programs provide sessions for all ages of our population.
Centrally located
Charlottesville is located in Central Virginia at the crossroads of Interstate 64 and US 29; has a modern, well-connected
Richmond, the state capital, is located about 50 miles southeast of Charlottesville, which was founded in 1762 and named after Queen Charlotte, the queen consort of King George III. Roughly a hundred years after its creation, Charlottesville found itself at the center of the Civil War, much of which was fought in and around the state of Virginia. Thankfully, Charlottesville escaped much of the damage of the war, so most of the city’s original history is still intact.
The cost of living here is a bit above the national average, but well below similar indices in major metropolitan areas like Washington DC – Northern Virginia, Metropolitan New York and Greater Atlanta. And Virginia’s taxes are lower than most other states.
From the beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains, which also shield the city from some of the harshest winter weather other regions can’t avoid – summer temperatures are mostly pleasant with an occasional hot spell, and winter temps average between the upper 40’s (high) and upper 20’s (low) – to many of the local attractions, such as the more than 50 wineries within an hours’ drive and the many historic venues that are scattered in the countryside, Charlottesville always has much to offer, no matter the season.
So much to do!
Entertainment abounds year-round at the nationally-recognized Downtown Mall where The Paramount Theater (which is celebrating its 10th reopening anniversary), Jefferson Theatre and The Pavilion are located. Along with the John Paul Jones Arena, they have all hosted national music and entertainment acts. The line-up has included artists from our own home-town, like the Dave Matthews Band, to the Rolling Stones, U2 and The Police; Tony Bennett and Loretta Lynn to Bruce Hornsby; to live broadcasts of Opera at the Met.
And, of course, there are ten months of Atlantic Coast Conference and NCAA championship sports at UVA, which include the nationally ranked womens’ and mens’ soccer and lacrosse teams, baseball and basketball – Go ‘Hoos!
Businesses looking to expand and locate operations in the Mid-Atlantic as well as individuals and families looking towards “life’s next adventure” find Charlottesville an ideal place to live and build a better future for themselves and their enterprise.
What do all these things mean for the real estate market in Charlottesville? If you’re considering a move to this area, you have plenty of reasons to justify that decision. The city’s many attributes also play a role in supporting property values. After all, any time you have a city with as much to offer as Charlottesville, you have all the makings of a strong real estate market as well.
