We stumbled across niche.com recently, and although we had not heard of it before, we immediately recognized that it is both accurate and trustworthy. So how did it establish its bona fides so quickly? Well, it recognized Bridgewater as the best place to live in Rockingham County and awarded us an “A+.” Obviously they know what they’re talking about, right?
The A+ is an overall grade and can be broken down into the following categories:
• Public Schools. (A-) (Thanks TA, Pence, and Wayland!)
• Housing. (A-)
• Good for Families. (A+)
• Jobs. (A-)
• Cost of Living. (B)
• Outdoor Activities. (A-) (We shouldn’t complain about an A-, but…)
• Crime & Safety. (A) (This means we’re safe, not that we have smart criminals.)
• Nightlife. (A-)
• Diversity. (B-)
• Weather. (B) (We don’t yet have a plan to improve this grade.)
• Health & Fitness. (A)
• Commute. (B+)
Overall, that’s not too shabby, and Littleton Tazewell would be pleased.*
Just like in high school, when we received our report card, we compared it to our friends’ results. We are pleased to say that the whole gang did pretty well: Harrisonburg (A), Dayton (A), Mt. Sidney (A), Staunton (A-), Fishersville (B+), Mt. Crawford (B+), Broadway (B), Stuarts Draft (B), Weyers Cave (B-). We’re happy for everyone, but especially for our own citizens, because they’re the ones who get to live in an A+ town!
* He’s the governor who signed our charter in 1835. With the Charter Day Trivia Contest coming up, we thought the name dropping might be helpful.