Northern Virginia business owners are overwhelmingly optimistic about the region’s economy in the new year, but affordability has become a top concern for business leaders trying to attract new talent and new businesses to the region.

A survey of more than 100 CEOs, corporate executives and business owners conducted on behalf of the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce by marketing firm Pinkston, found 81% are very or somewhat optimistic about their company’s performance in the next six months and 49% plan to hire.

According to George Mason University’s Stephen S. Fuller Institute, 46% of the Washington region’s economy is driven by Northern Virginia. But it is neither inexpensive to do business in Northern Virginia nor to live in the region. Both are hard sells.

“The biggest concern that I hear on a consistent basis among all employers is the question of affordability. And affordability is housing, it’s also child care, it’s basic cost of living,” said Julie Coons, who has served as CEO of the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce since 2018.

“When I first got onboard, it was lack of skilled workers, which continues to be a challenge But it has now expanded into the driving factor around that for employers is affordability. It is a serious regional issue,” she said.

Northern Virginia companies can pull from a local pool of skilled workers to meet their growth needs, but the cost of living makes the region less attractive to professionals being recruited to the region and for companies looking to expand or relocate. In its survey, 27% of companies said it is more difficult to find qualified talent to hire now than it was a year ago, and 64% said it is about the same.

When asked about the new Trump administration, 46% of business leaders in Northern Virginia are hopeful for business-friendly changes, including extending tax cuts, reducing regulations, and transportation and infrastructure investment. But there are concerns about the new administration as well.

“Seventy-eight percent of business leaders expressed some concern about the incoming administration’s stated plans to relocate federal agencies outside of the DMV. We would see that as damaging to economic growth around the region,” Coons said.

Such moves would be part of the Administration’s advisory-only Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, which could also reduce the federal government’s regional workforce. In the survey, 27% of business leaders said they were very concerned about the impact.

Other concerns about the new administration include tariffs, cited by 30% of business leaders, and immigration reform, cited by 16%.

Northern Virginia business leaders were also asked what priorities they have for the Virginia General Assembly in 2025. The top answers were tax cuts, transportation and infrastructure, keeping right-to-work, and public safety.

The business leader survey was conducted from Jan. 2 through Jan. 15 and included leaders of businesses of all sizes. Full survey results and methodology are online.

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FIRST ON FOX: JD Vance is “fulfilling his promise” to American voters as he makes his first trip as vice president to Damascus, Virginia, on Monday to visit areas affected by Hurricane Helene in late September.

It will be Vance’s second trip to Damascus since the hurricane swept across the southeast on Sept. 27, destroying parts of Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida and leaving more than 200 people dead.

“Vice President Vance visited with Damascus residents in October after the town was ravaged by Hurricane Helene,” a spokesperson for the vice president told Fox News Digital. “He pledged to be back, and now he’s fulfilling his promise. The first week of this administration has made it clear that President Trump and Vice President Vance keep their word.”

Vance’s trip comes just days after President Donald Trump, first lady Melania Trump and other politicians visited Asheville, Fletcher and Swannanoa, North Carolina, on Jan. 24, marking the now-president’s second trip to those areas since September.

HURRICANE SURVIVORS WHO MET TRUMP IN NORTH CAROLINA SHARE PRESIDENT’S WORDS THAT STUCK WITH THEM

Trump spoke in all three towns but allowed a group of locals who lost everything in Helene to share their own personal stories during his stop in Swannanoa. Some locals have taken issue with the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) handling of the disaster, saying it has too much red tape for those in need of immediate assistance to get the help they need, whether it be housing, money or both.

“I’ll also be signing an executive order to begin the process of fundamentally reforming and overhauling FEMA or maybe getting rid of FEMA,” Trump told reporters in North Carolina on Friday morning. “I think, frankly, FEMA is not good.”

FEMA EXTENDS TRANSITIONAL HOUSING PROGRAM FOR NORTH CAROLINA RESIDENTS DISPLACED BY HURRICANE HELENE

President Donald Trump speaks during a visit to a neighborhood affected by Hurricane Helene in Swannanoa, N.C., on Jan. 24, 2025. (MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Trump also promised that his administration would step in and assist North Carolina to fix the damage quickly, vowing to “do a good job” for the state. 

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“We’re going to fix it, and we’re going to fix it as fast as you can,” Trump said. “It’s a massive amount of damage. FEMA has really let us down, let the country down. And I don’t know if that’s [former President Joe] Biden’s fault or whose fault it is, but we’re going to take over. We’re going to do a good job.”

Fox News’ Emma Colton contributed to this report.

West Virginia has 22 current high school or junior college commitments in the 2025 recruiting class so how will the coaching staff go about filling the rest of the remaining slots?

The Mountaineers still have needs left to fill. Which ones take priority with the remaining slots?

The Mountaineers have filled a need at quarterback with a commitment from Mentor (Oh.) 2025 quarterback Scotty Fox.

As for the rest of the positions, the program has two Drexel Hill (Pa.) Monsignor Bonner 2025 wide receiver Jalil Hall and Hurricane (W.Va.) 2025 wide receiver Tyshawn Dues, one tight end in De Forest (Wi.) 2025 tight end Jackson Accuard,i and four offensive linemen in Olney (Md.) Good Counsel 2025 offensive lineman Gavin Crawford, Olney (Md.) Good Counsel 2025 offensive lineman Eidan Buchanan, Parma (Oh.) Padua Franciscan 2025 offensive lineman Brandon Homady and Cincinnati (Oh.) La Salle 2025 offensive tackle Jahmir Davis.

On the defensive side, the Mountaineers have five defensive line commitments in Nashville (Tn.) Lipscomb Academy defensive lineman Amir Leonard-Jean Charles, Miami (Fla.) Northwestern 2025 defensive end Wilnerson Telemaque, Cleveland Heights (Oh.) 2025 defensive lineman Brandon Caesar, Upper Marlboro (Md.) Wise 2025 defensive lineman Taylor Brown and Huntingtown (Md.) 2025 defensive lineman Evan Powell, one linebacker in Douglasville (Ga.) 2025 linebacker Michael Hastie, two pass-rushing linebackers in Coconut Creek (Fla.) Monarch 2025 defensive end Romando Johnson and Glendora (Ca.) Citrus College 2025 edge Keenan Eck and six defensive backs in Columbus (Oh.) Marion Franklin 2025 cornerback Dawayne Galloway, Bel Air (Md.) 2025 safety Julien Horton, Lakeland (Fla.) 2025 defensive back Sammy Etienne, Huntington (W.Va.) 2025 safety Zah Jackson, Columbus (Oh.) Beechcroft 2025 athlete Tyrell Russell and Wyndmoor (Pa.) La Salle College High School 2025 spear Chris Fileppo.

The Mountaineers also have transfer additions from: two quarterbacks in Jayden Henderson (Texas A&M) and Max Brown (Charlotte); two running backs in Tye Edwards (Northern Iowa) and LJ Turner (Catawba College); five wide receivers in Cam Vaughn (Jacksonville State), Oran Singleton (Eastern Michigan), Cyrus Traugh (Youngstown State), Jarod Bowie (Jacksonville State), Jeff Weimer (Idaho State); two tight ends in Johnny Pascuzzi (Iowa) and Jacob Barrick (Jacksonville State); six offensive lineman Will Reed (Princeton), Walter Young Bear (Tulsa), Kimo Makane’ole (LSU), Robby Martin (N.C. State), Ty’kieast Crawford (Arkansas) and Wyatt Minor (Youngstown State); one defensive lineman in Braden Siders (Wyoming); two linebackers in Chase Wilson (Colorado State) and Ashton Woods (North Carolina); one pass rushing linebacker in Jimmori Robinson (Texas San Antonio); four safeties in Fred Perry (Jacksonville State), Jordan Walker (UT Chattanooga), Justin Harrington (Washington) and William Davis (Virginia Union); and finally five cornerbacks with Michael Coats (Nevada), Jordan Scruggs (South Alabama), Devonte Golden-Nelson (Akron), Jason Chambers (Appalachian State) and Derek Carter (Jacksonville State).

So what positions are left to fill?

The Mountaineers should not take another quarterback with Fox, Henderson, and Brown filling the need in the 2025 cycle although they could look at a younger option with multiple years of eligibility. The Mountaineers should be done at running back with the two experienced transfers in the mix.

Tight end remains a position that could potentially have another addition depending on the options that are there in the transfer portal.

West Virginia could still add at least one more at wide receiver to round out that position group although that would only be for the right addition likely a slot type that can create after the catch.

On the offensive line, the Mountaineers have three commitments in place from high school and six more from the portal but this is the biggest priority. There will need to be several more additions.

That means overall, the offensive side of the ball could still take anywhere from 4-5 more players at the various spots.

On the defensive line West Virginia has five commitments and a transfer addition, but the program could look at adding at least one more depending on the options.

Inside linebacker won’t be as heavily hit this cycle but the Mountaineers could still add one more outside Hastie and the transfers while outside linebacker is likely set with Robinson, Eck, and Johnson.

The defensive backfield has been hit heavily in this class but could still add some pieces likely through the junior college ranks or transfer portal.

That means that on defense the Mountaineers still need to add as many as 4-5.