Hanover County, centrally located on the U.S. East Coast, affords its residents the best of both worlds. The county prides itself on maintaining its rural roots and offering residents a laid-back lifestyle, while its close proximity to Downtown Richmond provides convenient access urban amenities such as upscale shops, fine dining, museums, galleries and other attractions.
Hanover has prime access to Interstates 95 and 295, which have 125,000 vehicles/day and 92,500 vehicles/day, respectively. There is an extensive network of commuter and freight rail lines. Hanover is served by a regional airport and is in close proximity to Richmond International Airport and the Richmond Marine Terminal which connects to the Port of Virginia.
Strong, well-run local government
Hanover County is one of the smallest U.S. counties (by population) to have a AAA bond rating from all three ratings agencies. There are only 45 “Triple AAA” counties in the U.S and nine in Virginia. This reflects well not only on Hanover County finances, but also on the general economic outlook for Hanover. Additionally, Hanover continues to have the lowest real estate tax rate ($0.81) in the region. There is no business license tax (except for contractors), a distinct advantage for Hanover businesses.
Quality public schools
Compared to other school districts in Virginia with a similar student population size, Hanover County has one of the lowest dropout rates (3.4%) and the second highest graduation rate (95.1%). In 2018, Hanover County Public Schools received a 2018 Virginia Board of Education Distinguished Achievement Award for advanced learning and achievement as part of the annual Virginia Index of Performance (VIP) awards. Only 15 of the 132 school divisions in the state received this honor.
High quality of life
Hanover has been recognized by Forbes, Bloomberg BusinessWeek, Money magazine and the American City Business Journals for its superior quality of life. Home to Kings Dominion, Hanover is also rich with history including Patrick Henry’s Scotchtown, Hanover Courthouse, North Anna and Cold Harbor Battlefield Parks and other historic sites.
Environmental stewardship
Hanover County is home to a thriving agricultural industry and supports a well-planned Suburban Services Area to optimize commercial and industrial growth.
Major Employers
| Company | Industry |
|---|---|
| Owens & Minor | Merchant Wholesalers, Non-durable Goods |
| QubicaAMF Bowling Companies | Bowling Equipment |
| Tyson Farms | Food Manufacturing |
| Amazon | Distribution Sortation Facility |
| Vitamin Shoppe Industries | Distribution Facility |
| Anton Paar USA | Laboratory Instrumentation & Process Measuring Systems |
| Analytics Corp. | Analytical Laboratory Testing Services |
| Flexicell | End-of-Line Automation Equipment |
| Republic National Distribution | Beverage Distributor |
| Hanover Foils | Flexible Packaging Converting Company |