Don’t get it twisted, we love New York City…but there are plenty of New Yorkers who dream of getting the bag and ending up in the suburbs.
Expanding beyond the commuter towns that sit right outside NYC, there’s times we have to shed a light on other great towns on the come-up.
That’s exactly what Woodbridge, Virginia is going through right now.
It just earned the title of “fastest-growing suburb in the United States” to be exact, according to a study by GOBankingRates.
The study compared the 2018 and 2023 populations of large suburbs in major metropolitan areas, and averaged them out by increase over that timespan.
With that context, Woodbridge, Virginia took the top spot, increasing a staggering 887% over the course of those five years.
It also released the accompany figures for how much money people need to make annually to afford a home there, with Woodbridge coming in at $124,161 annually.
So why would people look to move to Woodbridge, Virginia?
We have a few suspicions…
Proximity to Washington, D.C.
Let’s start with the obvious and that Woodbridge is a great suburb outside of Washington D.C.
It resides about 20–30 minutes from the nation’s capital, making it an attractive option for those who work in D.C. but prefer suburban living.
Affordability Compared to D.C.
With distance from a major city hub comes more affordable housing prices, and that rings true for Woodbridge.
The median home price in Woodbridge is around $500,000, which is significantly lower than Washington, D.C.’s average of over $600,000. Not to mention the prices in NYC ($800,000) or the nearby NJ suburbs ($600,000).
Explosive Population and Housing Growth
As mentioned, the population in Woodbridge has soared by 887%, and a huge reason for it is the area’s increased supply of housing.
The town increased its housing amount by 7x between 2013 and 2022, according to this study by StorageCafe.
Livability and Amenities
Woodbrige’s overall “livability” score is actually quite decent, even scoring a 71 out of 100 on Southern Living’s scale.
There’s also plenty of things to do in Woodbridge, like shopping the Potomac Mills Mall, enjoying outdoor recreation at the Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge and Leesylvania State Park, and taking in entertainment and sports events.
The top 10 fastest-growing suburbs and the average salary needed to live there
Check out the full list of the fastest-growing suburbs from the study, including what you’d need to make to feel comfortable.
1. Woodbridge, Virginia (887.3%, $124,161)
2. Fulshear, Texas (236.7%, $199,909)
3. Celina, Texas (190.2%, $137,965)
4. Princeton, Texas (114.7%, $95,375)
5. Queen Creek, Arizona (84%, $137,492)
6. Prosper, Texas (81%, $160,327)
7. Fort Mill, South Carolina (77.6%, $121,572)
8. Fate, Texas (77.3%, $97,589)
9. Anna, Texas (70.9%, $96,137)
10. Groveland, Florida (65.4%, $105,272)