Folks that have lived here for a long time are aware of our City's benefits and high quality of life. Here's what others are saying about Charlottesville:
- Southern Living - Tastiest Town in the South - #5
- #1 City to Live in the Country - Yahoo Real Estate/Sperling's Best Places - 2011
- #4 for Book Lovers - Livability.com - 2011
- "Locavore" Capital of the World - Forbes Magazine - 2011
- Most Walkable City in Virginia - Walk Score - 2011
- TipAdvisor - Top 10 Charming Towns - 2010
- Best College Football Town - Associate Press Readers
- Top "Brainiest" Metropolitan Areas - The Atlantic
- Number One City for Retirement - Kiplinger.com
- Healthiest Place to Live - Men's Journal magazine 2010
- Top Place to Retire - Kiplinger magazine 2010
- 4th Best Place to Live in the Country - Kiplinger's Magazine 2009
- 11th Best Town to Find a Job - Forbes Magazine 2009
- One of the 30 Coolest Neighborhoods, Belmont - Men's Health Magazine June '09
- 18th Safest Mid-Sized Cities in the Country (populations between 150,000 and 500,000), Farmers Insurance
- AAA Bond Rating by Moody’s and Standard and Poor’s 2009, Moody’s has ranked City AAA since 1973, S & P since 1964
- AARP, Top 10 Healthiest Places to Retire, 2008
- Best Places to Retire, Black Enterprise Magazine, 2nd in 2008
- Best City for Living and Launching a Business by Fortune and Money Magazines - 18th Place in 2008.
- Best Small Market for Business by Forbes Magazine - 9th Place in 2008.
- 2008 Governor’s Environmental Excellence Award, Gold and Flag Award in the Environmental Program (Government) category
- USGBC LEED Gold Certification, Downtown Transit Center, 2008, 1st LEED Gold municipal designation in the state.
- Top Ten Digital City, Center for Digital Government, 3rd 2005, 4th 2006, 6th 2007, 5th 2008, 4th 2009
- National Trust for Historic Preservation, Distinctive Destination, 2007
- 2008 Bicycle Friendly Community at the Bronze Level from the League of American Bicyclists
- Southern Business & Development Magazine: #1 on the list of 10 “Really Cool Small Southern Markets"
- Life magazine: Charlottesville region “The Best New Place to Drink Wine." Charlottesville area - one of 10 superlative locales cited in Life’s write-up of “10 Perfect Weekend Escapes.”
2007 Businesses for the Bay Environmental Excellence Award ”Outstanding Achievement for Pollution Prevention, Local Government” - Money Magazine: Best Places to Live
- Outside Magazine: One of the Best Places to be Found 1995 & 1999, also one of Seven Dream Towns That Have it All, Best Town to Live 2006, 2008
- Kiplinger's Personal Finance: #2 Healthiest Place to Live in America
- Men's Journal: #3 Healthiest Small City to Live in America
- Reader's Digest: Top Ten Places in the Country to Raise a Family (#7 out of 50)
- American Health: Top Ten Healthiest Cities for Women (#6)
- Golf Digest: Best Retirement City for Golfers (#1)
- Tennis Magazine: Best Tennis Town (#1)
- Arts and Entertainment Television: One of the Best Places to Live in America (#6)
- E-Podunk.com: Best Small College Town (#1)
- Modern Maturity Magazine: Most Alive Places to Live (#2 College Town)
- Forbes/Milken Institute: Best Small Places for Business and Career 2001 (#12)
- Travel 50 & Beyond: Top Ten Great Places to Retire 1999
- Best Trail Running, Outside Magazine 2006
- Cottage Living Magazine, Great Place to Live
- GFOA Certificate of Achievement Reporting
• for fiscal year 2009 for the 30th consecutive year. - Chesapeake Bay Stewardship Awards, Outstanding Achievement for Pollution Prevention, 2007
- City Website was voted Best City Website by the City County Communications and Marketing Association – Savvy Award, 2006
- City Website was voted Best City Website by the National Association of Government Webcasters
- Top Five Green Cities, Blue Ridge Magazine, 2006
- City Website received Sponsors Award by the National Association of Government Webcasters
- City Parks and Recreation Department accepted as Extraordinary Environmental Enterprise by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality
- City Parks and Recreation Department accepted Tree City USA
- Best Place to Relocate, Relocate America, 2006
- Fire Department - ISO Class 2 Fire Department (1 being the best on a score of 10)
• Internationally Accredited Fire Department
• Fire Department - Governor's Award for Excellence in Fire Service Management - Dozen Distinctive Destinations – Charlottesville – National Trust for Historic Preservation, 2007
- Best Workplace for Commuters, US Department of Transportation, 2006
- Department of Social Services, USDA recognition for outstanding customer service, 2005
- City Ranked the Top “Really Cool Small Southern Market”
- By Southern Business and Development Magazine, (April 2005)
- Money Magazine 100 Best Places to Live – August 2004
- Forbes Magazine – Best Small Places to Do Business – Rank 22
- Business Journals – Best Places to Work – June 2005
- Charlottesville Officially Awarded First Tee Chapter, by the World Golf Foundation.