Suffolk, Loudon, Prince William Make Top 10 List for Job Growth in US

It’s still a tough job market, but these three Virginia localities counties can make it a lot easier to find work and a great place to live.

This week, CNN Money Magazine published their annual list of ““Where the Jobs Are”

Virginia had three localities in the top ten list of U.S. counties with the highest job grown from 200-2011.

Loudoun County was ranked number 1 with the highest job growth rate, at 83.6 percent. Prince William County was eighth with a job growth rate of 48.6 percent, and Suffolk (which actually is a city) was ninth with a job growth rate of 43 percent.

#1.Got data? Loudoun County , VA does. Lots of it. With its expansive fiber networks and a swarm of tech workers, it’s a major traffic hub on the East Coast. The latest boom to hit this area is data centers, which now occupy 4.3 million square feet in the county, earning Loudoun the nickname “Data Center Alley.”

Easy access to the nation’s capital and Dulles International Airport also creates opportunities for government and the airline and freight servicing industries.

#8 .Prince William County, VA takes the crown when it comes to offering enticing perks to businesses. Expedited permits for companies in “targeted” industries that promise high-paying jobs and capital investment is just one of the ways it rolls out the red carpet.

Also behind the job boom: proximity to the D.C. Beltway, a smart workforce and competitive tax rates.

#9. Suffolk, VA job growth (2000-2011): 43.0%

While actually a city not a county CNN noted It’s smooth sailing for job growth in Suffolk, thanks to the Navy’s recent decision to relocate four commands, . The move will add nearly 1,000 jobs — which is about the total number of new jobs added to the area in all of 2011.  Suffolk is also located close to the Port of Virginia, and like many of the places on the list, quality of life is a big selling point here. Schools, transportation and community are all strong in this city with historic charm.

Those strengths have lured a variety of businesses. The retail sector is growing, as are manufacturing and warehousing. Planters, now owned by Kraft, was started here a century ago and still operates a major peanut processing center.

CNN Money released twelve lists this year, including “Best Places to Live,” “Where the Jobs Are,” “Top Earning Towns,” “Hotspots for the Rich and Single,” “Where Homes Area Affordable,” as well as lists for commute times and climate.

This type of positive recognition is a boost not only for business people and residents living and working in these Virginia localities , but it draws attention from outside the region. Site selection consultants and recruiters can use these rankings as another tool to help draw attention to the state as a vibrant region with tremendous assets for companies and potential employees.

CNN Money creates their rankings using a variety of community metrics and data sources within financial, quality of life and housing criteria. .

Take these list with a grain of sale as according to their source data they will allow 2 places in a state to qualify. ( well I guess Virginia squeaked by with three on this list)

Source: Census data, Onboard Informatics projection. Only counties where each Best Place within it was also experiencing job and population growth, and where unemployment was below the national average, were considered. No more than 2 places within a state could qualify.

See the full list here.