According to Countryaah, Virginia is home to some of the most iconic cities in the country. Richmond is the capital city of Virginia and offers attractions such as The State Capitol and The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. Norfolk is a vibrant city with plenty of cultural attractions including Nauticus and The Chrysler Museum of Art. Other popular cities in Virginia include Virginia Beach, Roanoke, Alexandria, Charlottesville, Lynchburg, and Manassas. Each of these cities has something special to offer from outdoor activities like surfing or kayaking to historical sites like Monticello or George Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate.
Politics of Virginia in 2013
In 2013, Virginia was a state of political contrast. While the Governor’s office had been held by a Republican since 2010, the state legislature was split between Republicans and Democrats. This split extended to local offices as well, with Democrats having control of most city councils and school boards while Republicans held more county offices. This division of power made for an interesting political landscape in Virginia in 2013.
The most prominent political issue in Virginia during 2013 was the debate over Medicaid expansion. In February 2013, Governor Bob McDonnell proposed a plan to expand Medicaid eligibility to 400,000 low-income Virginians. However, this proposal met with opposition from many Republican legislators who argued that it would be too costly for the state and would lead to an increase in taxes. After months of debate and negotiation, McDonnell and the legislature eventually reached a compromise that allowed for some Medicaid expansion while also providing tax relief for businesses that provided health insurance coverage to their employees.
2013 also saw an increase in grassroots activism throughout Virginia as citizens became increasingly vocal about issues such as gun control and LGBT rights. In March 2013, thousands of people gathered at the state Capitol Building in Richmond to protest the passage of Senate Bill 1324 which sought to strengthen existing gun laws in Virginia. The bill eventually passed despite vigorous protests from gun rights advocates. Shortly after this event, thousands again gathered at the Capitol Building to protest an amendment proposed by Republicans that sought to define marriage as being between one man and one woman only. Although this amendment ultimately failed due to opposition from both Republicans and Democrats alike, it served as a powerful reminder of how passionate Virginians were about protecting their civil liberties during this period of time.
Overall, 2013 was an important year for politics in Virginia as citizens began to become more engaged with their government on both local and statewide levels. Despite some disagreements over certain issues such as Medicaid expansion or gun control legislation, there were still moments where people from all sides came together to work towards solutions that were beneficial for everyone involved. This spirit of bipartisanship is what makes politics so special here in Virginia and is something we should continue striving towards even today.
Population of Virginia in 2013
In 2013, the population of Virginia was estimated to be around 8.3 million people. The largest city in the state was Virginia Beach, which had a population of around 447,000 people. Meanwhile, the state capital of Richmond had a population of just over 200,000 people. Check ehuacom for more information about the capital city of Virginia.
The racial makeup of Virginia in 2013 was fairly diverse with approximately 64 percent identifying as White; 19 percent as African-American; 8 percent as Asian; and 5 percent as Hispanic or Latino. Additionally, there were also sizable populations of Native Americans and Pacific Islanders living in the state at that time.
When it came to age demographics in 2013, the majority of Virginians were between 25 and 44 years old (30%). This was followed by those aged 45 to 64 (27%) and those aged 18 to 24 (17%). The remaining 26% were either younger than 18 or older than 65 years old.
The median household income for Virginia in 2013 was approximately $61,000 per year with an average household size of 2.5 people. The median home value at that time was roughly $250,000 while the median rent amount was around $1,200 per month.
In terms of educational attainment levels in 2013, nearly 35 percent had completed some college or an associate’s degree while another 30 percent had achieved a bachelor’s degree or higher level of education. On the other hand, slightly less than 10 percent had not completed high school while only 1 percent held a professional degree such as MD or JD. Check anycountyprivateschools for business education in Virginia.
Overall, Virginia’s population in 2013 showed a diverse range when it came to ethnicity and age groups with most individuals being between 25 and 44 years old and having some form of postsecondary education under their belt. At this time there were also many households earning an average annual income that allowed them to comfortably afford housing costs such as rent or mortgage payments without too much financial strain on their budgets.
Economy of Virginia in 2013
The economy of Virginia in 2013 was quite strong, with the state’s gross domestic product (GDP) reaching $408 billion. This made Virginia the 12th largest economy in the United States. The main industries driving economic growth were government, professional and business services, trade and transportation, education and health services, leisure and hospitality, manufacturing, construction, financial activities and information technology.
The government sector was the largest employer in Virginia, accounting for approximately one-quarter of all jobs. This sector included federal agencies, state government departments and local governments. The professional and business services industry employed nearly 14 percent of the state’s workforce, while trade and transportation accounted for another 12 percent. Education and health services employed 11 percent, leisure and hospitality 8 percent, manufacturing 7 percent, construction 5 percent, financial activities 4 percent and information technology 3 percent.
In terms of average wages in 2013, Virginia ranked 11th in the nation with an average wage of $22.70 per hour. This was slightly higher than the national average wage of $21.99 per hour during that time period. The highest paying industry in Virginia was financial activities with an average wage of $36.52 per hour followed by information technology ($35.75), professional and business services ($31.46) and government ($30.31). On the other hand, leisure and hospitality had the lowest paying jobs with an average hourly wage of just $12.73 per hour during this time period.
The unemployment rate in Virginia during 2013 was 5%, which was slightly lower than the national rate of 7%. The regions with the highest unemployment rates were Southside (8%), Southwest (7%) and Northern Neck (6%). The lowest unemployment rates were found in Richmond City (4%), Fairfax County (3%) and Loudoun County (2%).
Overall, Virginia enjoyed a strong economy in 2013 thanks to its diverse range of industries providing employment opportunities across a variety of sectors at competitive wages above the national average for many occupations.
Events Held in Virginia in 2013
In 2013, Virginia had a wide variety of events to offer visitors and locals alike. The summer months were filled with festivals, concerts, and outdoor activities that spanned the entire state. In May, Richmond hosted “Maymont in Bloom”. This event celebrated the beauty of spring with live music, food, activities for kids, and tours of the gardens.
In June, the city of Alexandria held their annual “Old Town Arts Festival” which featured art from local artists and craftspeople as well as live music performances. The same month saw Winchester host its annual “Apple Blossom Festival” which included a parade, carnival rides, games, and live entertainment for all ages.
July saw Charlottesville host its “Festival of the Arts” which included art exhibits from local artists as well as performances from musicians and dancers from around the country. Later that month Roanoke hosted its “Star City Music Festival” which featured some of the top musical acts in America including Willie Nelson and Bob Dylan.
August saw Virginia Beach host its annual “Beach Music Festival” which included performances by classic beach bands such as Jan & Dean as well as modern acts like Maroon 5 and Train. Later that month Harrisonburg held its popular “Rockingham County Fair” which had plenty of rides for both adults and kids alike along with delicious food vendors and live music performances throughout the night.
September was filled with events throughout Virginia such as Norfolk’s International Tattoo Convention where over 200 tattoo artists gathered to display their work alongside live music acts from around the world. Richmond also hosted its popular Folk Music Festival where traditional folk music was performed on stage by some of Appalachia’s best musicians while attendees enjoyed a wide variety of food vendors throughout downtown Richmond.
October saw Fairfax host their annual Fall Festival featuring hayrides through a pumpkin patch along with a petting zoo for kids to enjoy while parents browsed through booths filled with handcrafted items made by local artisans. Later that month Manassas held their Halloween festival complete with costume contests for both children and adults alike along with carnival rides and plenty of treats for everyone to enjoy.
Finally, November brought Thanksgiving festivities to many cities across Virginia such as Williamsburg’s Colonial Market Fair where locals dressed up in period clothing while vendors sold traditional wares like pottery, candles, jewelry, wood carvings etc.. There was also plenty of festive entertainment such as colonial reenactments complete with musket firing demonstrations. No matter what time of year you visited Virginia in 2013 there was always something exciting going on.