Do you consider Fredericksburg/Stafford as Northern Virginia? (Richmond, Petersburg: median income, living in)

[evan83]

What say you?

[Leaving4Ca]

Why are you asking? Are you planning on working in DC? That is a horrific commute.

[evan83]

No. Just asking if culturally, socially, and politically, you consider them part of Northern Virginia.

[Alley01]

It is closer to Richmond than to DC, so how could it be Northern Virginia? Doesn't matter what parameters you are trying to identify those areas with, it is not Northern Virginia.

[evan83]

Officially, the US Census Bureau classifies both Fredericksburg City and Stafford County as part of the Washington DC metro area, and not part of the Richmond-Petersburg MSA.

http://www.census.gov/population/est...y/a99mfips.txt


For the record, I voted no.

[justtitans]

It's a tough question. Culturally, they are not really part of the DC area, but they definitely have certain elements that make them DC-ish, especially the type of grocery stores and local carryouts/restaurants. I think it depends on how you look at them. If we are talking about overall, given how many people who live there commute to DC, I think you definitely have to say that it's a DC suburb.

[elias9193]

I live in Stafford and have to deal with the same traffic as everyone else in PWC and FFC so in that sense yes I do feel Stafford is part of NOVA. Fredericksburg not as much even though they have to deal with the same nasty traffic as the rest of us. Stafford is ranked as the 12th richest county in the US per median income so
its no slouch and should be considered as part of NOVA.

[Alley01]

Originally Posted by elias9193

I live in Stafford and have to deal with the same traffic as everyone else in PWC and FFC so in that sense yes I do feel Stafford is part of NOVA. Fredericksburg not as much even though they have to deal with the same nasty traffic as the rest of us. Stafford is ranked as the 12th richest county in the US per median income so
its no slouch and should be considered as part of NOVA.

Why does dealing with traffic mean it is part of NOVA? I just can't understand the logic. The majority of the residents don't work in DC, so why would they be included? If they should be, shouldn't we include a lot of West Virginia? I am not sure why the census included both in their DC demographics. It makes no sense, but perhaps they have an explanation somewhere.

[Leaving4Ca]

Originally Posted by Alley01

Why does dealing with traffic mean it is part of NOVA? I just can't understand the logic. The majority of the residents don't work in DC, so why would they be included? If they should be, shouldn't we include a lot of West Virginia? I am not sure why the census included both in their DC demographics. It makes no sense, but perhaps they have an explanation somewhere.

West Virginia - Charlestown - is about 60 miles from DC. Stafford is 44 or 45 miles, a bit closer to DC. I know 10 people off the top of my head who live in Stafford County and work downtown. Vanpools take the HOV road every day. Horrible commute though.

[Alley01]

Originally Posted by Leaving4Ca

West Virginia - Charlestown - is about 60 miles from DC. Stafford is 44 or 45 miles, a bit closer to DC. I know 10 people off the top of my head who live in Stafford County and work downtown. Vanpools take the HOV road every day. Horrible commute though.

Fredericksburg is included in the survey and it is around 55 miles away from DC. So, with that logic, WV should have been included. I don't know what would be so great about living in Fredericksburg or Stafford to put up with that commute if people do choose to work in DC. What a waste of time.