Arlington, Virginia is Open for Business

Posted on 10/10/16 by Joseina McKenzie

In The 2016 Kauffman Index of Startup Activity: Metropolitan Area and City Trends report, the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria metro area was collectively ranked #25 in Startup Activity. For a DC-metro area entrepreneur, this is great news!

When trying to decide where to start your business among the admirable jurisdictions in the D.C. metro area, carefully consider Arlington, Virginia as a place for business. Within the region, Arlington is known for being a safe and prosperous town with plenty to offer to its residents and visitors. However, Arlington is also an excellent place for new and existing businesses. As an aspiring entrepreneur or business owner, you should know more about our business-friendly and diverse environment.

Business-friendly

According to the U.S. Census’ 2012 Survey of Business Owners, there are approximately 21,665 businesses operating in Arlington County. In order to sustain and grow our business community, Arlington is dedicated to being a receptive and responsive government – eager to help entrepreneurs and local businesses in every step of their business journey.

Here are a few of the ways Arlington County supports startups and existing businesses:

• Business consultation and workshops
  Arlington Economic Development’s BizLaunch is an excellent free resource for local startups and small business owners. BizLaunch offers things like free technical assistance in English and Spanish, the opportunity to learn business essentials via workshops and seminars, and various networking opportunities, among other programs.
• Market research
  Arlington Public Library is an incredible and often-overlooked resource for new businesses. An onsite Business Librarian offers one-on-one business consultation to help get top-notch market research information, customer demographics, and more to ultimately diminish your business venture risks.
• Streamlining government processes
  Are you encountering challenges as small business owner in the County? Do not worry, Arlington’s designated Business Ombudsman works in partnership with the business community to help resolve issues and identify improvements to County administrative processes.

So whether you are starting or expanding your business, Arlington County is working to assist you and your business thrive in our community.

Small but Still Diverse

Arlington County – comprised of a population of 220,400 – is diverse in many ways  (Arlington County Profile, 2016). Whether you are looking for clients of a particular race, ethnicity or even nationality, or trying to thrive in a specific industry, Arlington is the place to be. 

In fact, according to Data USA — an analytical tool that consolidates data from various government and academic institutions — it is estimated that there are 15.4% Hispanics, 9.7% Asians, and 8.2% Blacks. In addition, there are 116 countries represented in Arlington, which is very impressive for a county that is only 26 square miles (Arlington County Profile).

Arlington also has a variety of vibrant industry sectors that is representative of both a city and a suburb (i.e. tech services, manufacturing ). Data USA’s “Industries by Share” image below illustrates the various types of industry in Arlington by percentage share — with Professional, Scientific, Tech Services, Public Administration, and Educational Services accounting for the largest shares. But if these are not your industries, there are plenty of opportunities for you to carve out your space and grow the industry that is right for you and your clients!

 

 

You cannot go wrong with a business location in the DC-metro area. However, when considering launching or expanding your business, please keep in mind that Arlington is not only a safe and prosperous community but a business-friendly and diverse county ready to help you succeed. Do your research and thoroughly consider all of your options before deciding on a permanent location for your business.  

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