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Blacksburg is also home to such tech startups as Modea, a fast-growing advertising agency founded by Virginia Tech grads in 2006, and e-mail hosting company Webmail.us, which was acquired by Rackspace in 2007.
To develop the economy further, the town, university, and economic development organizations are trying to expand the local technology industry, taking advantage of talent coming from the school’s engineering program. The Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center, for example, aims to “develop a growing, prestigious research park for high-technology companies” and has an incubator program called VT KnowledgeWorks that creates companies based on VT-developed technology.
In addition to the benefits of a college town, Blacksburg provides the blessings of a family-friendly community. Data from Onboard Informatics reveal that the town has some of the best schools in Virginia. Part of the Montgomery County School System, it is home to seven public schools—five elementary, one middle, and one high school—as well as several private schools, day-care centers, and preschools.
Gilbert Linkous Elementary School, for instance, scores well above average on standardized math and reading exams and is among the few in the state to receive a top score of 10 from Greatschools.org, a nonprofit that provides school performance data. Students at Prices Fork Elementary and Harding Avenue Elementary also test above average, according to data from the Virginia Education Dept.
Blacksburg also has many recreational options. A downtown improvement project recently added wider sidewalks, a traffic circle, and new trees. Green space is abundant, with 400 acres of parkland in town, plus the Appalachian Trail and the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests nearby. Sports at Blacksburg’s community recreation center include basketball, volleyball, and soccer, along with a fitness center, a computer lab, and social activities such as senior programs. And while the memory of the 2007 Virginia Tech shooting remains fresh for many, the town in fact has a relatively low crime rate.
Blacksburg celebrates holidays with music and fireworks on Independence Day, a 10,000-egg hunt on Easter, and games on Halloween.
Says MacKenzie: “People in Blacksburg are very passionate about Blacksburg.”
Click here to see the best place to live in your state.
— With assistance from Jennifer Prince, Bloomberg Rankings
Wong is a lifestyle and real estate reporter for Bloomberg Businessweek.
