Loudoun Co. scores well in national ‘livability’ survey — except for roads, commutes

CHANTILLY, Va. — A national survey of residents shows people who live in Loudoun County, Virginia, enjoy their quality of life, feel safe and appreciate the school system. But traffic flow, roads and overall ease of mobility score below the national average.

The survey questioned 1,783 Loudoun residents and has a margin of error of 3 percent.

Nine of 10 residents give positive ratings to the overall image and appearance, feel safe and believe Loudoun County is a good place to raise children. Two-thirds of those asked are pleased with employment opportunities.

But when it comes to “mobility,” which includes several transportation-related aspects of livability, Loudoun County is lacking.

Only two in 10 Loudoun residents had used bus or transit services in the past two years. Very few people walked or rode bicycles to get places.

In comparing how residents got to work in alternative ways to driving, more used taxis, limousines, or ride-hailing services like Uber or Lyft than rode Metrorail — a number that will likely change dramatically when Metro’s Silver Line stations open at Dulles Airport, Loudoun Gateway and Ashburn.

Nine of 10 in the survey thought it was “essential or very important” for the county to focus on traffic in the next two years, and at least eight in 10 thought road maintenance, as well as schools and crime/drug use, were important.

For at least a decade, Loudoun County has had the nation’s highest median household income, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

With the high salaries, Loudoun County’s lowest livability score was for cost of living — only 18 percent were pleased with that aspect of living here. Affordable quality housing also scored below the national average.

The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors will receive the survey results Tuesday evening.

The graphic below shows how Loudoun residents rate their community.