As we close out 2025, the Roanoke region finds itself in a rare and defining moment, one where momentum, collaboration and long-term vision are all moving together with purpose. This moment didn’t appear by chance. It is a measurable shift in performance that can be quantified, benchmarked and nationally validated. In a year of uncertainty for many U.S. markets, our region reached the goals of the Roanoke Regional Partnership’s Thrive 2027 campaign two years early, delivering 3,000 direct jobs and $565 million in new capital investment — exceeding the original investment goal by more than 60%. These outcomes were not the result of a singular project or economic anomaly. They are the result of a region that has embraced a simple but transformative truth: when we work together, we win together.
The economic data behind this year’s momentum reveals the strength of that approach. Across the region, major employers announced expansions spanning advanced manufacturing, defense industry, biotech, medical devices, wellness products and data center infrastructure — industries that diversify and stabilize our regional economy. Roanoke County added 288 jobs through the Elbit America expansion. Franklin County secured a $47 million East Coast facility for Traditional Medicinals, the second-largest bagged tea company in the United States. The city of Salem continued its upward trajectory in biotech and medical device manufacturing with three expansions in a one-month span, while Botetourt County advanced its standing in the national hyperscale and data center supply chain industries with a Munters expansion and a significant land acquisition by Google. Individually, these projects are impressive. Together, they represent a regional portfolio that is broad, resilient and aligned with national growth sectors.
National data also reinforces this narrative. National rankings in the economic/industry growth and talent spheres reflect the region’s growth in performance. The Roanoke metro area ranked in the top third of the Lightcast 2025 Talent Attraction Scorecard, reflecting high-earning job growth, strong prime-age population growth and increased attraction of new residents — a major regional growth advantage. Meanwhile, the Milken Institute’s Best-Performing Cities Index recorded a remarkable 58-place climb for the region, driven by top-tier job growth, significant wage gains and strong housing affordability indicators. These metrics are not cosmetic — they are the foundational signals companies use to evaluate long-term market potential.
But the most telling validation came from the site selectors who visited the region this year. In a national environment where corporate decision-making has slowed and companies are closely evaluating the stability and cohesion of local leadership, one national site selector, Jeffrey Garza Walker of SRS Real Estate Partners, said plainly: “You have a really great team… and you are saying the right thing, which is ‘We are a region.’ The places that are going to win are the places that look at themselves as a region, not as a single location.” His assessment underscores what the data already demonstrates: regional collaboration is not a marketing slogan — it is a competitive advantage and a strategy with measurable outcomes. In the competition for investment, job creation and talent, regionalism matters. It is a message we hear repeatedly from clients, consultants and project facilitators.
The impact of this year’s growth extends far beyond employers’ balance sheets. More families are gaining access to stable, good-paying jobs. Small businesses benefit from increased consumer spending. Local governments gain tax revenue to support essential services. Housing demand strengthens the real estate market. And young professionals see a region where career advancement does not require relocation. These are the markers of a thriving regional economy. This is why communities and private sector partners invest in economic development. The strategies are working, families are benefiting, businesses are growing and there is much to celebrate!
The regional strategy is working, but how do we maintain this positive growth? It’s simple: local government and business leadership must continue investing in sites, infrastructure, workforce development, housing and quality-of-life assets. The region must invest in telling its story. Leaders must look at the region as a system. And a true systems approach requires regional collaboration and cooperation. A region is defined not by municipal borders but by a shared labor market and the interconnected systems — roads, utilities, infrastructure and institutions — that bind our economy together. A region’s success is defined not only by assets but by its leadership and their willingness to collaborate and invest time, energy and funds in ensuring its future success.
Momentum, once earned, can accelerate, but it can also dissipate without sustained commitment. The opportunities before us are real, and the decisions made today will shape the region’s competitiveness well into the future.
The achievements of 2025 prove what is possible when we invest collectively and act with regional purpose. The Roanoke Region has always punched above its weight class, and if it is going to continue to grow, the imperative is clear: continue the collaboration, continue the investment and continue believing in the power of a unified region. With that commitment, the Roanoke region’s best economic years are still ahead.
Collectively, we are stronger. Together, we thrive.
John Hull is the president/CEO of the Roanoke Regional Partnership. He also serves as the executive director of the Western Virginia Regional Industrial Facility Authority.
