It is not an accident that Culpeper County has strategically positioned itself as a highly desirable location to locate good paying, clean industry jobs. This has been part of the board of supervisors’ vision and focus for a long time.

Brad Rosenberger, the incumbent conservative county supervisor for the Jefferson District and six-time past chairman, says he is pleased with the results and of decades of work by the current board members who have “done a pretty darn good job” of balancing the need for a stronger commercial tax base—which includes job growth—against the push for sprawl. Rosenberger says he has vigorously opposed that which negatively affects the quality of life that his constituents have enjoyed for generations, and found solutions that have made Culpeper County an attractive place to locate employment centers without ruining the rural character.

Rosenberger’s opinion is validated by a recent consumer advocacy company that quantifies such community strategies, and ranks their desirability from a jobseeker’s viewpoint.

From the headlines of the Star Exponent:

Culpeper is among the best places in Virginia for job seekers, according to a new list by Nerdwallet, a San Francisco based consumer advocacy web site.   The town and county ranked No. 6 on a recent top 10 compilation that pinpointed Virginia as a leading state for those seeking employment based on its low unemployment rate (5.6 percent), high median incomes and steady population growth.

“Culpeper is the county seat of Culpeper County in northern Virginia, near Shenandoah National Park. Culpeper has a long history stretching back before the Revolutionary War and the town has one of the largest historic districts in Virginia,” the Nerdwallet list said. “Culpeper has seen tremendous growth between 2009 and 2011 with a 15.6 percent population growth. Culpeper also boasts a low unemployment rate of 5.6 percent. Large employers include Culpeper County Public Schools, Culpeper Regional Hospital and County of Culpeper Government.”

With its median income of $53,967, Culpeper scored 68.5 out of 100 in the ranking that put Leesburg first for job seekers. No. 2 on the list was Vienna followed by Herndon, Arlington and Manassas.

The city of Fredericksburg ranked behind Culpeper at No. 7 followed by Alexandria, Chesapeake and Christiansburg.

Culpeper Chamber of Commerce CEO Jim Charapich appreciated the good news.

“It is great to have affirmation that Culpeper is a great place to live, work, and play,” he said. “We are fortunate to have the benefits of a rural countryside and vibrant business community while proximate to Washington, D.C.”                                    Read More…