Economic Opportunity Ranks Well Among Loudouners
Brian Tinsman
Digital Properties Manager
Results from the recently released National Citizen Survey show strong economic confidence among Loudoun County residents.
The survey, conducted by the National Research Center and the International City Managers’ Association, focuses on different facets of “community livability” and benchmarks the results against national averages.
The results below are based on 1,783 Loudoun respondents, with a margin of error at ±3 percent.
The community aspects where Loudoun residents ranked the county above the national averages all related to economic strength:
- Overall economic health (85 percent ranked positively);
- Shopping opportunities (80 percent ranked positively);
- Place to visit (79 percent ranked positively);
- Place to work (76 percent ranked positively);
- Employment opportunities (66 percent ranked positively).
Among the neighboring Northern Virginia communities Loudoun is benchmarked against, Loudoun was ranked #1 for (A) overall appearance, (B) cleanliness, (C) overall economic health, and (D) shopping opportunities.
Additionally, when asked about the different aspects of governance, 71 percent of respondents ranked economic development positively, which was one of two areas where Loudoun exceeded the national average.
Loudoun’s 2.1 percent unemployment rate among residents illustrates the success Loudoun has had in job creation. Even so, 95 percent of residents responded that employment opportunities are at least somewhat important in the next two years.
Here is some of the analysis provided in the survey results:
“Residents also selected Economy as an important area for the county to focus on in the coming years, and ratings within this facet tended to be quite positive and higher than the national benchmarks.
“At least two-thirds of residents gave favorable reviews to the overall economic health of the county, shopping opportunities, employment opportunities, the county as a place to visit and to work and economic development; all of these ratings were higher than those seen in other communities nationwide.
“Nearly all residents had purchased goods or services in the county and about half worked in Loudoun County.”
While most of the survey questions did not have prior data to show change over time, several employment-based questions showed dramatic change since the last survey in 2016.
Teleworking increased dramatically among Loudoun’s survey respondents, with 46 percent indicating at least partial telework status, up from 25 percent in 2016.
Self-employment also doubled from 14 to 29 percent of respondents, while working in a home-based business went from 6 to 15 percent.
To learn more about the bright economic opportunities in Loudoun County, please email Business Development Officer Rick Morris or call 1-800-LOUDOUN.
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