Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
top of page

55 results found with an empty search

  • Immigration Entrepeneurship Covid-19 | Northern Virginia Regional Commission

    Immigrant entrepreneurship data compiled by the Northern Virginia Regional Commission's as part of the One Region immigration study, Coronavirus (COVID-19) immigration study, and data dashboard to assess the economic impact of immigrants in Northern Virginia. Entrepreneurship - COVID-19 Reports, maps, and charts are best viewed on a desktop or tablet. Key Facts Entrepreneurship - COVID-19 Immigrants are job creators In Northern Virginia, immigrant entrepreneurs – those who work for their own businesses, incorporated or not – are making their mark locally. Workers in non-essential industries have been severely affected by the economic fallout of the coronavirus outbreak, especially those who cannot work remotely or whose businesses depend normally on face-to-face interaction. 2014 to 2018 Period Key Facts: More than half of all personal service entrepreneurs in Northern Virginia are foreign born. Between one-quarter and one-half of all entrepreneurs in the non-essential industries of retail trade, healthcare and social services, educational services, professional services, and manufacturing are foreign born.

  • People Race Overall | Northern Virginia Regional Commission

    Northern Virginia population growth, minority-majority transition, foreign born population transformation, and more demographics, data and graphs by region and county. Analyzed by the Northern Virginia Regional Commission (NVRC). Race and Ethnicity Overall Reports, maps, and charts are best viewed on a desktop or tablet. Race and Ethnicity of Northern Virginia Overview A big story of the region is its racial and ethnic diversity and continuing diversification. Northern Virginia's racial and ethnic composition makes it more diverse today than the United State and Virginia and this has been the case for decades. Much of the continued diversification is attributed to the sizable increases in the number of Hispanics, Asians, and multiracial persons in the region. The following charts show the region's population by race and ethnicity, along with analyses of diversity for Northern Virginia and its counties and cities. Upcoming Changes to Categorization of Race/Ethnicity Race/ethnicity data collected by the U.S. Census Bureau is the primary source of race and ethnicity demographics. The U.S. Census Bureau currently collects race and ethnicity data based on the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) standards from 1997. New race/ethnicity standards were adopted by the Office of Management and Budget on March 28, 2024, the first such adoption since 1997. Changes are coming to how race and ethnicity information will be collected and reported in the United States. Federal agencies, including the U.S. Census Bureau, must implement the new standards into data collections as soon as possible, but no later than March 28, 2029. The U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS), a survey conducted annually, will be one of the first U.S. Census Bureau products to implement the new standards. As of July 2024, the U.S. Census Bureau was proposing to begin implementation of data collection in 2026 or 2027 for the ACS products. The 2030 Decennial Census will also reflect the new standards. The new race categories will offer individuals more precise ways to self-identify, especially for people who self-identify as multiracial or multiethnic. This will result in a more accurate representation of the U.S. population's race and ethnic characteristics. Changes will include a single combined question instead of separate race and ethnicity questions. Also, a new "Middle Eastern or North African" category will be added. These changes aim to better reflect the diversity of the American population. These changes will create challenges and implications for our understanding of the population and trends because the data will not be comparable to prior data. These modifications will alter the population size of subgroups. Specifically, the Census Bureau’s 2015 National Content Test results suggest anticipating increases in those identifying as Middle Eastern or North African, Hispanic or Latino, and Black or African American. Conversely, the number of individuals categorized as “white” or "some other race" is projected to decline. The combined race and ethnicity question is also expected to improve response rates for the race component on the decennial census and ACS forms. More information can be found on the U.S. Census Bureau's website . Decennial Census Data The Decennial Census is based on a survey of the entire population. It is conducted once a decade. The 2020 Decennial Census population was released on August 12, 2021. The Decennial Census regional, county, and city population data is shown in the interactive charts that follow. The 2020 Census had improvements to the design of the two separate questions for race and ethnicity, data processing, and coding, which enabled a more thorough and accurate depiction of how people prefer to self-identify. These changes along with actual demographic changes in the population result in the changes seen from 2010 to 2020 in the following data. For more details on the 2020 Census questionnaire changes and its impacts please view the U.S. Census Bureau's technical information . The following charts show the region's population by race and ethnicity, along with analyses of diversity for Northern Virginia and its incorporated towns. People of Hispanic/Latino origin are an ethnic group and may be of any race. To display Hispanic/Latino together with racial groups, it is common to cross-tabulate race and ethnicity to display Hispanic/Latino as a single category and the non-Hispanic race groups as categories that sum to the total population. This means of displaying race and ethnic data has become quite common and for available data, it is the closest categorization c ompared to the new race/ethnicity standards that were adopted by the Office of Management and Budget on March 28, 2024 (for more information see prior section ). With this classification, Hispanic/Latino is treated identically to major race groups and not independently of race. Also, Census Bureau research has shown that this classification is much less impacted by the 2020 Census questionnaire improvements. NVRC has migrated its demographic analysis to the cross-tabulated categories. The following charts, as well as the calculation of diversity, use the cross-tabulated categories.

  • People Foreign Born Overall | Northern Virginia Regional Commission

    Northern Virginia population growth, minority-majority transition, foreign born population transformation, and more demographics, data and graphs by region and county. Analyzed by the Northern Virginia Regional Commission (NVRC). Foreign Born and Immigrants Overall Reports, maps, and charts are best viewed on a desktop or tablet. Foreign Born and Immigrant Population of Northern Virginia Overview The Washington, D.C. metropolitan area is one of the most diverse in the country when taking into consideration the racial, ethnic, and foreign born (immigrant) population make-up. Northern Virginia contains a sizable amount of the metropolitan area's diverse population. The foreign born or immigrant population is transforming the region. Note, the terms foreign born and immigrant are used interchangeably throughout the NOVA Region Dashboard. Immigration has been driving demographic transformations in the region , including: School enrollment changes Sizable increases in the number of Hispanics and Asians Population growth Employment growth About the Data and Proper Data Interpretation Foreign born population data is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau 2000 Census and the American Community Survey (ACS). It is important to note that any data sourced from the ACS is based on a small sample of the population of a place. Areas with smaller populations, such as the cities of Northern Virginia, may have a larger margin of error in the data due to the survey sample size being small. This is less of an issue the larger the population. The margin of error is shown in the popup that is displayed when hovering over a bar in the bar charts. If there is a large increase or decrease in the estimate from one time period to the next, and the margin of error is large and overlaps other periods, then the large change between time periods is likely due to statistical sampling error and is not considered statistically significant. In addition to the margin of error, the accuracy of the American Community Survey data for an area can be gaged by evaluating the trend. If the data has a clear trend then the data from one period to the next can be deemed reliable. Foreign Born Population - Current Foreign Born Population Share - Current Five-Year Estimates All jurisdictions in the United States are included in the five-year American Community Survey estimates. The share of the population that is foreign born, for all jurisdictions in Northern Virginia, is displayed in this graph. Northern Virginia's foreign born population share is 28.0%. All Northern Virginia jurisdiction's have a foreign born population share that is greater than the Commonwealth of Virginia and the United States. Out of all 3,144 jurisdictions in the USA, all Northern Virginia jurisdictions are ranked #147 or higher. The region's highest ranked are Manassas Park City (7th), Manassas City (21st), Fairfax County (23rd), and Fairfax City (26th), each of which have a greater foreign born population share than New York County, New York (Manhattan) (28.1% and 37th) and Orange County, California (29.9% at 29th). Back in 2000, all jurisdictions in Northern Virginia had a foreign born population share that was less than Manhattan. These high ranks of the region's jurisdictions are indicative of a transforming region and the diverse population of Northern Virginia and the DC metropolitan area. Foreign Born Population Share - Current One-Year Estimates Those jurisdictions with a population of 65,000 or more are included in the one-year American Community Survey estimates. The share of the population that is foreign born for the five largest jurisdictions in Northern Virginia are shown in this graph. The Northern Virginia foreign born population, for the one-year estimates, is representative of the five largest jurisdictions in Northern Virginia only. All of Northern Virginia five largest jurisdictions have a foreign born population share that is much greater than the Commonwealth of Virginia and the United States. Out of the 843 jurisdictions with a population of 65,000 or more in the USA, all are ranked #76 or higher, with the region's highest ranked, large jurisdiction being Fairfax County, ranked 17th with a foreign born population of 31.6%. Fairfax County has a greater foreign born population share than New York County, New York (Manhattan) (29.3% and 24th) and Orange County, California (30.8% at 20th). Northern Virginia's foreign born population share, as defined for this analysis using the region's five largest jurisdictions, is 28.5%, which is only 0.8% less than Manhattan. Back in 2000, all jurisdictions in Northern Virginia had a foreign born population share that was less than Manhattan. These high and changing ranks for the region's jurisdictions are indicative of the diverse population and a transforming Northern Virginia region and D.C. metropolitan area. Foreign Born Population - Historic Compared to Current Foreign Born Population Share - Historic Compared to Current Five-Year Estimates Immigration has been driving many of the major demographic trends in the region. The foreign born population is transforming the region. Northern Virginia's population was 21.4% foreign born in 2000 and has risen to 28.0% currently. Similar to today, back in 2000 all Northern Virginia jurisdictions had a foreign born population share that was greater than the Commonwealth of Virginia and the United States. The greatest transformations have occurred in the four outer-core jurisdictions of Loudoun, Manassas City, Manassas Park, and Prince William. The outer-core of the region accounts for a majority of the region's overall population growth, as indicated in the population growth charts . Foreign Born Population Share - Historic Compared to Current One-Year Estimates The foreign born population trend, for the regions large jurisdictions (population of 65,000 or more), is shown in the following graphs. The legal status of non-citizens is unknown and not collected by the U.S. Census Bureau in any of its data sets. Key Facts: Northern Virginia, as defined for this analysis using the region's five largest jurisdictions, experienced an increase from 2011 to 2017. The foreign born population share increased from 25.5% to 28.6% respectively. From 2017 to 2021 it trended down, reaching a low of 27.2% in 2021. The decline from 2017 to 2021 was a result of the 2016 to 2020 presidential administration's reforms to immigration policy, as well as the coronavirus pandemic. The pandemic led to a drop in the region's population between 2020 and 2021 due to out-migration of residents, higher death rates than normal times, and slowing immigration. In 2022 the pandemic was subsiding and immigration began to rebound in the country and region. The region experienced a decrease in the overall foreign-born population from 2017 to 2021 , which was largely attributable to the non-citizen populations migrating out of the area in greater amounts than naturalized citizens moving into the area. From 2021 to 2023 the foreign-born population has been increasing. Between 2017 and 2022 the region's naturalized citizen population trended up, while the non-citizen population trended down. In 2023 the naturalized citizen population remained stable, while the non-citizen population increased. Loudoun and Prince William Counties, since 2010, have had significant increases and trended upward in their foreign born population as a share of the total population. Fairfax County's foreign born population share trended up from 2010 to 2017 to a high of 32.1%. From 2017 to 2021 it trended down, reaching a low of 29.9% in 2021. The increase from 2021 to 2023 coincides with the regional and national rebound in immigration. Alexandria and Arlington's foreign born populations have dropped since 2017 or 2018 and have not begun to rebound since the peak of the pandemic, unlike the region overall.

  • Immigration Study Education | NOVADashboard | NVRC | Northern Virginia

    Internet access information compiled by the Northern Virginia Regional Commission's as part of the One Region immigration study, coronavirus (COVID-19) immigration study, and data dashboard to assess the economic impact of immigrants in Northern Virginia. Internet Access Reports, maps, and charts are best viewed on a desktop or tablet. Key Facts Internet Access Limited or no internet access at home can lead to severe economic fallout, from limiting one's ability to work remotely to hindering a small business's transition to online. Limited or no internet access at home puts children in foreign-born households at risk of falling behind as schools hold classes online due to COVID-19. 2014 to 2018 Five-Year Estimates In total, 10.1 percent of Northern Virginians report lacking wired internet access at home. Either they are without any internet access (including no mobile) or they only have mobile access. Immigrants are disproportionately affected. Without Internet Access at Home 4.0 percent of Northern Virginians report lacking access to the internet at home. 6.1 percent of foreign born in Northern Virginia report lacking access to the internet at home, compared to 3.1 percent of U.S. born. Of those without internet access at home, 42.7 percent were foreign born. The total population of Northern Virginia is 27.6 percent foreign born. This indicates that immigrants are disproportionately affected. Only Mobile Access At Home 6.1 percent of Northern Virginians report having only mobile access to the internet at home. 7.7 percent of foreign born in Northern Virginia report lacking access to the internet at home, compared to 5.4 percent of U.S. born.

  • Immigration Study Labor Force Overall | Northern Virginia Regional Commission

    Immigrant labor force data compiled by the Northern Virginia Regional Commission's as part of the One Region immigration study, Coronavirus (COVID-19) immigration study, and data dashboard to assess the economic impact of immigrants in Northern Virginia. Labor Force - Overall Reports, maps, and charts are best viewed on a desktop or tablet. Key Facts Labor Force - Overall Northern Virginia’s immigrant population is well-suited to maintaining and expanding the region’s labor force In Northern Virginia, immigrant entrepreneurs – those who work for their own businesses, incorporated or not – are making their mark locally. 2013 to 2017 Period Key Facts: In Northern Virginia, less than two-thirds, or 61.6 percent of the U.S.-born population are of working age — between 16 and 64 years old — the range considered to be working age by the Department of Labor. Meanwhile, more than four out of five, or 83.9 percent of the immigrant population in the region are of working age. While immigrants make up 27.4 percent of the overall population, they make up 34.0 percent of the region’s working-age population. Northern Virginia has a high percentage of immigrants, 31.8 percent, working in STEM industries compared to 22.8 percent of immigrants overall in the United States. What are the top 3 industry sectors of the U.S. Born labor force? What are the top 3 industry sectors of the U.S. Born labor force? Source: 2013-2017 American Community Survey, 5-Year Sample, downloaded from IPUMS USA, University of Minnesota, www.ipums.org . 1. Professional Services (25.4%) 2. Administration (14.7%) 3. Education ( 9.6%) What are the top 3 industry sectors of the Foreign Born labor force? What are the top 3 industry sectors of the Foreign Born labor force? 1. Professional Services (20.7%) 2. Entertainment, Arts, and Hospitality (12.1%) 3. Construction (10.8%) Source: NAE analysis of the 2013-2017 American Community Survey,5-Year Sample, downloaded from IPUMS USA, University of Minnesota, www.ipums.org ; ITEP, “Who Pays?”; Congressional Budget Office; U.S. Social Security Administration.

  • Immigration Study Labor Force | Northern Virginia Regional Commission

    Economic data compiled by the Northern Virginia Regional Commission's as part of the One Region immigration study, Coronavirus (COVID-19) immigration study, and dashboard to assess the economic impact of immigrants in Northern Virginia. Labor Force Information on the overall Northern Virginia immigrant population, as presented in the original report published in March 2020. Overall Information on the economic impact of immigrants during COVID-19, as presented in the addendum report published in October 2020. COVID-19

  • People / Population of Towns | Northern Virginia Regional Commission

    Northern Virginia town population growth, minority-majority transition, foreign born population transformation, and more demographics, data and graphs. Analyzed by the Northern Virginia Regional Commission (NVRC). Population of Towns Population of Towns Data There are 14 incorporated towns in Northern Virginia. Detailed information on the incorporated towns are available on the following population topics. For comparative purposes, Northern Virginia counties and cities, Commonwealth of Virginia, and United States data are included. Population Total Foreign Born and Immigrants Race and Ethnicity

  • Economics | Northern Virginia Regional Commission

    Northern Virginia income, economically disadvantage populations, workforce, and more demographics, data and graphs by region and county. Analyzed by the Northern Virginia Regional Commission (NVRC). Economics Information on economics of the overall Northern Virginia region and its county and cities. Overall Information on economics of Northern Virginia incorporated towns . Towns

  • Education of Towns | Northern Virginia Regional Commission

    Northern Virginia towns educational attainment, public school student enrollment, and more demographics, data and graphs by region and county. Analyzed by the Northern Virginia Regional Commission (NVRC). Education of Towns Education Data of Towns There are 14 incorporated towns in Northern Virginia. For comparative purposes, Northern Virginia counties and cities, Commonwealth of Virginia, and United States data are provided in the graphs. About the Data and Proper Data Interpretation The education data of incorporated towns is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau 2000 Census and the American Community Survey (ACS). All of the incorporated towns in Northern Virginia have a population of less than 65,000 persons. One-year ACS estimates do not exist for incorporated places with a population of less than 65,000. All incorporated towns and places in the United States are included in the five-year ACS estimates. It is important to note that any data sourced from the ACS is based on a small sample of the population of a place. The ACS estimates for places with smaller populations such as Clifton, Dumfries, Hamilton, Haymarket, Hillsboro, Lovettsville, Middleburg, and Quantico can be unreliable if the margin of error is large. Only data variables that are deemed relatively reliable have data provided at the town level. For instance, poverty data is unreliable for many towns in Northern Virginia so that data is not being provided. Educational Attainment

  • Immigration Study Education | NOVADashboard | NVRC | Northern Virginia

    Immigrant education data compiled by the Northern Virginia Regional Commission's as part of the One Region immigration study, Coronavirus (COVID-19) immigration study, and data dashboard to assess the economic impact of immigrants in Northern Virginia. Education Reports, maps, and charts are best viewed on a desktop or tablet. Key Facts Education Immigrants who settle in Northern Virginia are well educated and bring with them varying levels of work and educational experience 2013 to 2017 Period Key Facts: 20.9 percent of immigrants had an advanced degree, either a master’s, professional or doctoral degree. 44.5 percent of immigrants in Northern Virginia age 25 and older had at least a bachelor’s degree. The proportion of immigrants with a bachelor’s degree or higher in Northern Virginia at 44.5 percent, is much higher than immigrants in the United States at 31.2 percent.

  • Education Attainment of Towns | Northern Virginia Regional Commission

    Northern Virginia towns educational attainment, public school student enrollment, and more demographics, data and graphs by region and county. Analyzed by the Northern Virginia Regional Commission (NVRC). Educational Attainment of Towns Reports, maps, and charts are best viewed on a desktop or tablet. Educational Attainment of Towns Overview Northern Virginia localities are home to some of the most highly educated residents in the nation. This high education level of the region's citizens creates a strong, flourishing business community. The percentage of Northern Virginia's population age 25 or more holding a bachelor's or higher degree is 60.4%, which is nearly double the United States, and holding a graduate or professional degree is 29.4%, which is more than double the United States. About the Data and Proper Data Interpretation Educational attainment data is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau 2000 Census and the American Community Survey. All of the incorporated towns in Northern Virginia have a population of less than 65,000 persons. One-year ACS estimates do not exist for incorporated places with a population of less than 65,000. All incorporated towns and places in the United States are included in the five-year ACS estimates. It is important to note that any data sourced from the ACS is based on a small sample of the population of a place. The ACS estimates for places with smaller populations such as Clifton, Dumfries, Hamilton, Haymarket, Hillsboro, Lovettsville, Middleburg, and Quantico can be unreliable if the margin of error is large. The margin of error is shown in the popup that is displayed when hovering over a bar in the bar charts. If there is a large increase or decrease in the estimate from one time period to the next, and the margin of error is large and overlaps other periods, then the large change between time periods is likely due to statistical sampling error and is not considered statistically significant. In addition to the margin of error, the accuracy of the American Community Survey data for an area can be gaged by evaluating the trend. If the data has a clear trend then the data from one period to the next can be deemed reliable. Educational Attainment - Current Bachelor's or Higher Degrees - Current The population age 25 or over with bachelor's or higher degrees of the counties, cities, and incorporated towns in Northern Virginia is shown in this graph. All towns, except for Dumfries, have higher percentages of bachelor's or higher degree holders than the United States and Commonwealth of Virginia. The towns of Clifton and Vienna have higher percentages of bachelor's or higher degree holders than Northern Virginia overall. Graduate or Professional Degrees - Current The population age 25 or over with graduate or professional degrees of the counties, cities, and incorporated towns in Northern Virginia is shown in this graph. The towns of Clifton and Vienna have higher percentages of bachelor's or higher degree holders than Northern Virginia overall. Educational Attainment - Historic Compared to Current Bachelor's or Higher Degrees - Historic Compared to Current The trend over time in the population age 25 or over with bachelor's or higher degrees in Northern Virginia and its incorporated towns are shown in this graph. Due to the small size of many towns, the educational attainment data of towns should be used with caution and the margin of error of the educational attainment data should be taken into consideration. If there is a large increase or decrease in the estimate from one time period to the next, and the margin of error is large and overlaps other periods, then the large change between time periods is likely due to statistical sampling error and the data should be used with caution. Graduate or Professional Degree - Historic Compared to Current The trend over time in the population age 25 or over with graduate or professional degrees in Northern Virginia and its incorporated towns are shown in this graph. Due to the small size of many towns, the educational attainment data of towns should be used with caution and the margin of error of the educational attainment data should be taken into consideration. If there is a large increase or decrease in the estimate from one time period to the next, and the margin of error is large and overlaps other periods, then the large change between time periods is likely due to statistical sampling error and the data should be used with caution.

  • Economics Median Household Overall | Northern Virginia Regional Commission

    Northern Virginia income, economically disadvantage populations, workforce, and more demographics, data and graphs by region and county. Analyzed by the Northern Virginia Regional Commission (NVRC). Median Household Income Overall Reports, maps, and charts are best viewed on a desktop or tablet. Median Household Income of Northern Virginia Overview Northern Virginia is known for having communities with some of the highest median incomes in the United States, including the county with the highest in the nation. High median household incomes coincide with the large, thriving business community of the Northern Virginia region. While the median household income is high, it must be recognized that there are segments of the community in need of assistance that live in this prosperous region of the country and that high housing costs offset the high income when it comes to standards of living and well-being. About the Data and Proper Data Interpretation Median household income data is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau 2000 Census and the American Community Survey (ACS). It is important to note that any data sourced from the ACS is based on a small sample of the population of a place. Areas with smaller populations, such as the cities of Northern Virginia, may have a larger margin of error in the data due to the survey sample size being small. This is less of an issue the larger the population. The margin of error is shown in the popup that is displayed when hovering over a bar in the bar charts. If there is a large increase or decrease in the estimate from one time period to the next, and the margin of error is large and overlaps other periods, then the large change between time periods is likely due to statistical sampling error and is not considered statistically significant. In addition to the margin of error, the accuracy of the American Community Survey data for an area can be gaged by evaluating the trend. If the data has a clear trend then the data from one period to the next can be deemed reliable. Median Household Income - Current Five-Year Estimates All jurisdictions in the United States are included in the five-year American Community Survey estimates. The Median household incomes for all Northern Virginia jurisdictions are shown in this graph. The median household income of every Northern Virginia jurisdiction is higher than the Commonwealth of Virginia and the United States. Out of all 3,144 jurisdictions in the USA, three of the five highest ranked for median household income are in Northern Virginia, and those include Loudoun County (1st), Falls Church City (4th), and Fairfax County (5th). Northern Virginia's median household income, at an estimated $142,583 (in 2023 dollars), is higher than 12th ranked Arlington, making Northern Virginia one of the most affluent regions of the USA. Median Household Income - Current One-Year Estimates Those jurisdictions with a population of 65,000 or more are included in the one-year American Community Survey estimates, of which there are five Northern Virginia jurisdictions. The median household incomes for the five largest Northern Virginia jurisdictions are shown in this graph. The Northern Virginia median household income for the one-year estimates is representative of the five largest jurisdictions in Northern Virginia only. The five largest jurisdictions of Northern Virginia all have incomes higher than the Commonwealth of Virginia and the United States. Out of the 843 jurisdictions with a population of 65,000 or more in the USA, four of the top twenty highest income jurisdictions are located in Northern Virginia, and those include Loudoun County (1st), Fairfax County (7th), Arlington County (9th), and Prince William County (16th). The median household income of Northern Virginia's five largest jurisdiction together is estimated to be $142,583 (in 2023 dollars), making Northern Virginia one of the most affluent areas of the USA. Median Household Income - Historic Compared to Current Five-Year Estimates The Northern Virginia region's median household income had been rising since 1999 until it dropped in the 2019-2023 period. The greatest upward transformations in median household income, to levels well beyond inflation, have occurred in the Counties of Arlington and Loudoun. Median Household Income - Historic Compared to Current One-Year Estimates The median household income trend, for the regions large jurisdictions (population of 65,000 or more), are shown in the following graph. The Northern Virginia regional household income distribution for the one-year estimates is representative of the five largest jurisdictions in Northern Virginia only. Key Facts: There were dips in median household income in the early 2010s for some jurisdictions. The effects of the recession from 2007 to 2009 were still causing economic hardships and in 2013 there was federal sequestration when the federal government made large budget cuts. The Northern Virginia region is heavily dependent on the federal government for its economy, as indirectly indicated by the job layoffs during sequestration causing a sharp decline in household incomes. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, specifically from 2012 to 2019 the trend in the Northern Virginia median household income was upward after accounting for inflation. Since 2019 it has been a downward trend after accounting for inflation. The COVID-19 pandemic began in early 2020, setting off a wave of demographic and economic changes in the region and around the nation. From a national perspective, wages lagged behind inflation in 2021 and 2022 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics , but outpaced it in 2019, 2020 and since early 2023. Since Northern Virginia's downward trend has occurred in all years since 2019, demographic shifts are more at play than wages not keeping up with inflation. Notably, NVRC research has shown that workers retired early, immigration slowed, and many higher income office workers migrated out of the region to work remotely in places that have a more affordable cost of living. Policymakers have comprehensively addressed low-income housing; however, the pandemic has underscored the need to expand housing programs to serve middle-income two-person households earning up to $150,000 (roughly 120% of the HUD AMI) for enabling first-time home buyers to afford comfortable living and family life in the region. For further information on these demographic shifts, see the NVRC report Shifting Migration Patterns of Northern Virginia: Affordable Housing Needs published January 2025.

© 2024 Northern Virginia Regional Commission

bottom of page