Located in the southwest region of Virginia known as the New River Valley, the Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford metro area is one of the fastest-growing sections in the state. Unemployment peaked in 2009 at 9.6 percent and has since fallen by a third to 6.3 percent. Virtually all of the metro's growth last year came from services: 2,000 new jobs in the private sector and 1,600 in the public sector (mostly state government positions). That's not surprising given the presence of Virginia Tech, the region's biggest employer, which dominates the community of Blacksburg. Radford, too, is something of a college town with Radford University. Christiansburg, which lies between the two larger communities, is a tourist destination with a vibrant shopping scene and historic downtown.
Michael Kiernan/AP/File
