Virginia Moving Companies – Get Moving Quotes from VA Moving Companies

Moving to Virginia?

One of the original 13 American colonies and commonly referred to as the “Old Dominion,” Virginia is a state rich with diverse landscapes and a wealth of history and tradition. Located in the mid-to-southern Atlantic region bordering Delaware and West Virginia to the south and North Carolina to the north, the state’s official name is the Commonwealth of Virginia and is the birthplace of eight former U.S. presidents, which is the most of any state.

Sandwiched between the Blue Ridge Mountains in the western portion of the state and the Chesapeake Bay and Atlantic Ocean in the eastern portion of the state, Virginia has landscapes that range from beautiful mountain valleys to bustling coastal towns and major cities like Richmond and Alexandria.

If you’re moving to Illinois, there are a lot of things you’re going to need to know. Luckily, you’ve come to the right place.

Things to Know When Moving to Virginia

Virginia Climate

• Virginia’s vastly differentiating landscapes offer seasonal changes that vary from region to region in regards to average temperatures. In the northwestern portion of the state, the winters tend to be quite cold with average temperatures reaching as low as 26 degrees Fahrenheit and many snowstorms common to the region. In the summer, the southern and eastern portions of the state tend to be very hot and humid with average temperatures regularly reaching the high-80s to low-90s. The Beltway area around Baltimore and Washington D.C. near the northeastern part of the state gets especially humid during the summer months and can often be the site of many thunderstorms. (Helpful Link: Virginia Weather)

Moving Specifics

• Registering your Car: Upon your arrival in Virginia after moving to the state permanently, you have a total of 30 days to update your registration and have your vehicle registered in the state before you may be required to pay a penalty. The state law in Virginia also requires you to title the car in Virginia prior to having it registered. When this process is completed, you will receive new Virginia license plates for your car. (Helpful Link: Virginia DMV)

• Obtaining a Virginia Driver’s License: A Virginia Driver’s License can be obtained at any Virginia DMV location. The state requires new Virginia residents aged 19 or older (unless you are a member of the military or a student) to update their license from their previous state to a Virginia driver’s license within 60 days of moving. If you fail to update your driver’s license within this 60-day window, you may have to pay a fine.

• Real Estate: The average listing price for homes in Illinois is $352,845, while the median sales price is just over $329,900. The Virginia Association of Realtors is the official real estate resource for the state of Virginia.

• Moving and Storage: If you are looking for a moving company or storage facility to help you with anything, you should check to make sure the company is registered with the United States Department of Transportation or with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Everything you need to know about moving to the Commonwealth of Virginia can be found at the following link. (Helpful Link: Virginia State Moving Resource Page)

Schools

• Virginia schools consistently rank very highly among the nation’s school systems. The United States Department of Education’s National Assessment of Educational Progress ranks the Virginia school system in the top 10 of all states. In the Commonwealth of Virginia schools are typically run by the individual towns and counties that they are a part of, and not by the state as a whole, which is different from how most states operate their school systems. Virginia high schools have a high graduation rate and many students stay in-state to attend one of the many great universities in Virginia such as the University of Virginia, The College of William & Mary, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond University, James Madison University and George Mason University, among many others. (Helpful Link: Virginia Schools)

Crime Rankings

As of 2011, Virginia was ranked 7th out of 50 states in violent crime, with a total of less than 10 violent crimes for every 100,000 people in the state.

Economy of Virginia

Industries

There are a number of diverse industries in Virginia and thus many different sources of income for the state’s economy. In one area, there is employment to be found in various government and military sectors, being that both Army and Navy bases are located in Virginia, as well as the headquarters of the CIA and the FBI. Also, Virginia is a leader in technology, being one of the top exporters of computer chips in the nation.

Employment Statistics

As of early 2012, the state of Virginia had a relatively low unemployment rate of 5.7 percent, compared to other states with much higher unemployment rates. In the state of Virginia, the civilian labor force is comprised of over 3.6 million citizens, 3.3 million of which are currently gainfully employed and a little less than 300,000 who are unemployed. (Helpful Link: Virginia Department of Labor)

Average Income

The median household income in the state of Virginia is $61,406, while the average per capita income for the state is $32,145.

Important Locations in Virginia

• State Capital: Richmond

• Largest Cities:
  1. Richmond
  2. Virginia Beach
  3. Norfolk
  4. Alexandria
  5. Fredericksburg
  6. Arlington
  7. Roanoke

• Major landmarks and attractions: Pentagon; King’s Dominion Theme Park; Busch Gardens Theme Park; Air Force Memorial; National Inventors Hall of Fame and Museum; Virginia Beach (Helpful Link: Top Tourist Attractions in Virginia)

• National Parks:
  1. Appomattox Court House
  2. Cedar Creek and Belle Grove
  3. Harpers Ferry
  4. Great Falls
  5. Colonial
  6. Manassas
  7. Prince William Forest
  8. Richmond
  9. Shenandoah

• State park System: Virginia has a wealth of state parks that span the state from the coastal and Chesapeake Bay regions to the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains and offer nature enthusiasts with everything from hunting and biking to rafting and hiking. (Helpful Link: Virginia Department of Natural Resources)

• Major Airports:
  1. Washington Dulles International Airport
  2. Reagan Washington National Airport
  3. Norfolk International Airport
  4. Richmond International Airport
  5. Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport

Helpful Links

• Virginia Homebuyers Resource Page
• Richmond International Airport
• Virginia Department of Transportation
• Virginia Department of Education
• Virginia Traffic Updates and Traffic Information