Virginia Beach is listed among the top cities for young professionals in the whole country for 2022. You can find Virginia Beach along the Atlantic Ocean meeting the Chesapeake Bay. This coastal city bustles with visitors year-round, especially in the summer months, drawn to its boardwalk and oceanfront.
With a lively local dining scene, vibrant arts and entertainment, rich maritime history (because of its location on the Chesapeake Bay and the Ocean), and even the nation’s history, and various family-friendly attractions, Virginia Beach districts offer something unique for everyone who comes to visit.
There are a lot of restaurants, coffee shops, nature parks, and sprawling green spaces. Many families and young professionals live in Virginia Beach. There are many good schools in Virginia Beach, its public schools are highly rated even beyond the state, and around the country!
Virginia Beach may be the most populous city in Virginia but young professionals would feel just at home there because of Virginia Beach’s suburban vibe. Known as a resort city, Virginia Beach is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as having “the longest pleasure beach in the world.” It also hosts the North American Sand Soccer Championship and the East Coast Surfing Championship yearly.
Employment Prospects in Virginia Beach
Virginia Beach is part of the Hampton Roads Metropolitan Area which by itself alone is called home by a considerable military presence and has three sizable military installations within its borders and similar installations just nearby.
So it is not surprising to have many military jobs, and related civilian and government contractor jobs based in Virginia Beach, as well as several other businesses. Virginia Beach is consistently entered in the Forbes annual list of the Best Places for Business and Careers. Stihl’s (a globally-known German manufacturer of chainsaws and handheld power equipment since 1926) American headquarters are in Virginia Beach.
Other businesses like Operation Blessing International, Amerigroup, Christian Broadcasting Network, Geico, the Navy Service Exchange Command, and VT (Virginia Tech, formally Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University) a public land-grant research university) are some of the major employers headquartered in this city.
Safe Affordable Neighborhoods in Virginia Beach
The flourishing job market in Virginia Beach and the nearby cities on the East Coast have been driving not just tourist traffic to the area. Military personnel, of course, and their families because of the bases’ presence.
Some of the country’s top schools and universities have their campuses in Virginia Beach and the Hampton Roads region, not to forget the large public schools systems, as well as the Norfolk and Newport News shipyards, which all have tens of thousands of employees. Industries and big businesses, like Amazon, have opened facilities in the area, and research, finance, and healthcare industries too, equally thriving, hence, new workers are constantly coming to purchase or rent a property for a long term.
Young professionals wouldn’t be expected to buy or rent properties in the high-end neighborhoods in Virginia Beach, no matter how attractive they are. They would be looking for affordable and safe neighborhoods in Virginia Beach when they move to work there.
Get in touch with Barry Jenkins – Better Homes & Gardens Real Estate | Real Estate Agents in Virginia Beach, VA to be your expert guide and adviser for the most talked-about safe and affordable neighborhoods in Virginia Beach.
Dam Neck
South of downtown Virginia Beach by a short 15-minute ride is Dam Neck, described as a military-friendly neighborhood with the Atlantic Ocean to its east and near the Naval Air Station Oceana.
Hence, it is favored by military and base personnel with families. The neighborhood is dotted with affordable Craftsman and Colonial-style houses of all sizes, with more than ample green spaces for outdoor activities, and with access to Croatan Beach and Red Wing Park.
Great Neck
Great Neck is among the few neighborhoods in Virginia Beach known for its good safety ratings and being a closely-knit community, which perhaps contributes to its safety with everyone familiar with and looking out for each other.
With a location near the north end of the city and just around 15 minutes from the town center, Great Neck is almost encircled by waterways, the Broad Bay and Lynnhaven Bay – which would be an attraction for water lovers!
Seatack
Seatack is one of the most exciting neighborhoods in Virginia Beach VA and is so ideal for young professionals moving to the East Coast location. With a great location in downtown Virginia Beach, you can find apartments, townhomes, and houses of various sizes and budgets in oceanfront Seatack. For additional read, check out why you should by a home in Virginia Beach.
Almost complete in itself, everything (or almost) you need or want is just a walk away – entertainment, shopping, the sea and sand – and the Vibe Creative District, the Greater Hamptons Region’s most vibrant culture and art hub! Close by is the Norfolk Virginia Beach Expressway which can lead you anywhere else in the city.
Kempsville
If you are a young couple preparing to start your family and wish for a house in a fitting neighborhood, Kempsville might just be the best neighborhood location for you. Also considered among the best neighborhoods in Virginia Beach, Kempsville is centrally located within the surrounding Kempsville Gardens, Avalon, and Fairfield communities. Houses here are of all sizes and affordability, from apartments and condos to spreading brick ranch-style homes.
Thoroughgood
Thoroughgood is known to be among the best neighborhoods in Virginia Beach. Children and older kids and adults walking their dogs along streets of treed lots and affordable single detached houses are a common sight. Great Virginia Beach District schools like the Thoroughgood Elementary School and Hermitage Elementary School are just nearby, which would make it convenient for young professionals and soon-to-be parents.
Other Popular Neighborhoods for Young Professionals
Virginia Beach Town Center
The Town Center neighborhood is one of the best neighborhoods in Virginia Beach VA with innumerable housing options providing the experience, modern amenities, and conveniences desired by young professionals in the array of apartments, condos, and lofts. Located across Pembroke Mall, the neighborhood’s main shopping center, it is within the city’s Central Business District, containing the city’s top shopping destinations, global dining options, many free events, etc. It is a prime example of a mixed-use center, and it is so lively most of the time, making it perhaps the best neighborhood young professionals would choose to reside in.
Chic’s Beach
Bordered by Little Creek Amphibious Base on the west, Baylake Pines on the east, Shore Drive to its south and the Chesapeake Bay to the north, this neighborhood’s main attraction is, expectedly, the beach. Separate from the tourist area, it is a quiet community with neighbors looking out for one another. Its main road is Lookout Road where restaurants, small businesses, and shops thrive.
Bay Colony
Bay Colony is one of the city’s few neighborhoods that allow its homeowners a hushed peaceful surrounding away from downtown traffic, but still, its location makes for easy access to the beach, quite different from other beach-accessible neighborhoods, with its private driveways and winding streets not common to a location so close to any beach. There is a nice blend of calm residential living and beachside living here that puts it high among favorite neighborhoods, even if it’s not as easily affordable as the rest.
Is Virginia Beach a Good place for Young Professionals?
Virginia Beach is a regular entry in the Forbes Best Places for Business and Careers list for several years already. With a dense suburban ambiance, lots of restaurants, coffee shops, and parks, most Virginia Beach residents are homeowners. The public schools in the Virginia Beach district rate high nationwide. It is not surprising why many families and young professionals choose to make the city their home.
