Blacksburg Ranked No. 4 Happiest Town in America

Blacksburg has a reason to smile. Movoto Real Estate, a California based real estate website, recently included it on its list of the Top 10 Happiest Small Places in America. Among 391 communities evaluated, Blacksburg ranked No. 4 nationally and was the highest ranking place in Virginia. State College, PA – home of Penn State University – took home the No. 1 spot.

To compile the list, Movoto evaluated 391 small places using data from the 2010 U.S. Census, 2012 FBI /Uniform Crime Report, and WalkScore.com. According to the site, small places are defined as areas with between 40,000 to 61,000 people.

Laura Allan, Staff Writer for Movoto, had the following commentary regarding Blacksburg:

Let’s take a moment to acknowledge that this is home to yet another fantastic college: Virginia Tech. From their stellar theater department to their often triumphant sports teams, Blacksburg gives local a lot to be thankful and smiley about. Of course, there are some pretty outstanding rankings as well. The third highest percent of people with incomes above $25,000, the 12th highest marriage rank, and the 10th highest home ownership are only a few of the major perks. The most impressive is the 17th lowest violent crime on our list, the lowest violent crime in our top 10. If you need something to laugh about, and maybe occasionally cry about, you can take in a show at the Lyric Theater, which is a pretty unique and classic experience. Of course, if you just want to spend a few bucks and satisfy your sweet tooth, there’s also Carol Lee Donuts.

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.