New Survey Reveals How NoVA Business Leaders Feel About Region's Economic Future

Northern Virginia business leaders are more optimistic about the region’s economic future and their own, according to a new survey.

According to the Q2 2026 NVC/Pinkston Northern Virginia Business Leader Survey, Northern Virginia corporate executives and business owners are feeling more positive about their own business’ futures and about the economic direction of the region.

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The survey, conducted among 185 corporate executives and business owners in late June, found that business leaders were more likely to be hiring or retaining staff, more likely to be very or somewhat optimistic about their own business’ future and more likely to predict that the Northern Virginia economy would grow over the next six months, though the latter category still represents a minority overall.

More specifically, 90 percent of business leaders planned to keep staffing the same or hire people, an improvement on Q1, when only 83 percent did.

Seventy-six percent of respondents were very or somewhat optimistic about their own business’s near-term performance, up from 67 percent in the last survey.

Forty percent of business leaders expect Northern Virginia’s economy to grow over the next six months, up from 32 percent in Q1. Twenty-two percent believe the NoVA economy will decline in the next six months, down from 32 percent in the last survey.

The survey also asked business leaders about factors affecting their performance. At the top of their list was affordability. When asked, “Which NVC NOVA Roadmap goal would have the most positive impact on your organization’s growth?” 39 percent of respondents said making the region a more affordable place to live and raise a family.

Among the respondents, 40 percent work for companies in Fairfax County or the City of Fairfax, 20 percent in Prince William County or the City of Manassas, 18 percent in Alexandria, 11 percent in Arlington County, 4 percent in Loudoun County, 1 percent in Falls Church, and 5 percent in other locations.

Taking part were the Northern Virginia Chamber (NVC) and the chambers of commerce of Alexandria, Arlington, Central Fairfax, Falls Church, Greater Reston, Loudoun, Mount Vernon Springfield and Prince William County.

The quarterly survey began in Q1 of 2025 and will continue through 2026.

See the complete results here.

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