Richmond, Virginia vs. 7 Competitor Communities

The Greater Richmond Partnership has helped more than 100 international businesses with expansion services since its inception, so it’s well-equipped to guide your business through the steps necessary to establish your U.S. presence in the region. In fact, the region is home to more than 200 international businesses from 30 countries. Some of the services we provide at no-cost with no obligation include:

• Visit Services: We will work to create a visit itinerary from your hotel reservations to site visits and meetings with experienced service providers who will guide you through the location process.
• Real Estate: We can help you find adequate space whether it’s acreage for building, a location downtown or a space in an office park. Whatever you decide, we can provide you with the best options to match your needs, including a real estate tour as part of your visit itinerary.
• Introductions: When appropriate, we can connect you to Richmond-area suppliers, similar or complementary businesses and previously located companies.
• Staffing: We’ll help match you with the desired employees through connections with local workforce groups and professional staffing agencies.
• Employee Relocation: We can help your employees transition with information on communities, housing options, services, education, entertainment and much more.
• Research: Our research department can provide a bevy of information about the region, including cost comparisons, labor data, tax information and more.
• Public Relations: Once located, we can assist in announcing your company’s arrival and services to media outlets through a joint press release and social media promotion.

Executives who evaluate and compare the start-up and annual operating costs of a new facility have to choose among 50 states, hundreds of cities, and thousands of communities. The Greater Richmond Partnership's "International Start-Up Model" was developed to help the evaluation process by providing valuable data on the Richmond Region and seven comparative communities.

This brochure offers two typical operating cost comparisons and data for foreign companies entering the U.S. market for the first time. The first comparison is for a 20-employee manufacturing or distribution operation, and the second comparison is for a 20-employee sales office. Both comparisons assume some employees are foreign, but most are U.S. citizens.

In each comparison, Richmond is compared to a variety of American cities, both large and medium-sized, that are often considered by foreign companies looking to expand to the United States.