Lynchburg is an outstanding place to live, work and raise a family.  And you don't have to take our (admittedly biased) word on it. Lynchburg has been voted one of the top places to live by Money Magazine and has a thriving high-tech manufacturing sector.

The city of Lynchburg has a rich history and reputation as a hub of local commerce and religion. The city was founded in the 1760s when John Lynch ran a ferry across the James River, creating a route to the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Lynchburg was spared most of the destruction of the Civil War, and still hosts a variety of historic homes. Among these are Thomas Jefferson's summer home, Poplar Forest, a Union army headquarters, and one of the original Quaker meeting halls.

Lynchburg is an independent city located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 65,269, but is at about 70,000 residents as of 2007. Located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains along the banks of the James River, Lynchburg is known as the "City of Seven Hills", "The Hill City" and sometimes described as "A City Unto Itself".

The 2,122 square mile Metropolitan Statistical Area of Lynchburg is near the geographic center of Virginia and encompasses Amherst County, Appomattox County, Bedford County, Campbell County, City of Bedford, and City of Lynchburg. It is the fifth largest MSA in Virginia with a population of about 215,000. Other nearby cities include Roanoke, Charlottesville and Danville. Lynchburg's sister cities are Rueil-Malmaison, France and Glauchau, Germany.

Lynchburg is the home of Central Virginia Community College, Christ College, Liberty University, Lynchburg College, Randolph College, and Virginia University of Lynchburg. The Lynchburg MSA also includes Sweet Briar College.

Lynchburg has a strong industrial base and is the regional center for commerce and retail. Industries include nuclear technology, pharmaceuticals and material handling. A diversity of small businesses has helped maintain a stable economy and minimized the downturns of the national economy.Reaching as high as 4th place, Lynchburg has been within the Top 10 Digital Cities survey for its population since the survey's inception in 2004.