|  For the five million who visit here annually, Richmond is increasingly recognized for many salient yet unheralded qualities long enjoyed by those who already live here.
Now it’s become official: Richmond is honored as being one of America’s 30 “Most Livable Communities” in the U.S. The Most Livable Community designation, awarded once a decade by the national non-profit organization called Partners for Livable Communities, is based on a range of criteria relevant to the times. Communities are chosen based on their innovative strategies to prepare for the New Economy in key areas such as leadership, housing and neighborhoods, tourism, human development, finance and environment.  Richmond, the only Virginia city ranked in the mid-sized population (100,000 to 300,000) category, is joined by other localities such as Winston-Salem, NC; Saint Petersburg, FL; Santa Rosa, CA; Saint Paul, MN; Louisville, KY; and Birmingham, AL.
Richmond’s complete livability can be measured in numerous ways: beautiful neighborhoods with striking architecture, a vast cultural and educational heritage befitting its nearly 200,000 citizens and a vast historic treasure trove tracing to the early English settlers. Nationally recognized for its vitality and New Economy embrace, Richmond’s diversified employment base extends from chemical, food and tobacco manufacturing to biotechnology, semiconductors and high-tech fibers.  Richmond is among only a handful of mid-sized cities to offer a flourishing cultural community enhanced by several first-class museums and prominent universities, its own symphony, professional ballet and opera, and numerous theatre companies and art galleries.
With easy access to the ocean, mountains and Washington, D.C., Richmond also features countless pleasurable pastimes at home such as trendy boutiques and restaurants, numerous sports and entertainment attractions and leisurely pursuits along the James River, one of the nation’s largest river park systems. |