Laura Nord grew up in Loudoun County, but can't afford to live here anymore.
"Now that my children are grown up and out on their own, being a single mom without any assistance from child support, I'm now faced with the decision I can't even afford to rent an apartment anywhere in the county with the salary I make," she said. "If you don't have a child you are raising, you can't even qualify for an affordable dwelling unit."
Nord, who holds down two jobs, said she understands why more than one family is sharing a home. "People lease out homes to be able to survive," she said.
A NEW STUDY says Loudoun County's "quality of life" is one of the best in the country based on affordable housing, high income, job availability and 17 other criteria. Loudoun ranked fifth compared to the other 3,140 counties and independent cities in the United States. The report was conducted by The American Business Journals, Inc., a chain of 41 local business newspapers across the nation, and was based on April 2000 federal census data. It used 20 statistical indicators to rate living conditions.
Randy Collins, president and CEO of the county's Chamber of Commerce, said the study is flawed. "Regarding cost of living, it is probably one of the largest complaints we get about the community on a regular basis," he said.
He said Loudoun is beautiful and offers an urban setting in the east, and rural scenery in the west. But the average price of homes makes it an expensive community to live in. "No doubt about that," he said.
The study listed Loudoun's home value in 2000 at $202,300, compared to today's average of $412,000. The value is based on the average price of houses, townhouses, condos and mobile homes. Clark Draper, demographic and policy analyst for the Department of Economic Development, said the average price of Loudoun's single-family home (excluding the attached units and mobile homes) during the first quarter of this year was $533,000. A total of 2,441 units were sold during that period.
To qualify for "affordable" status, the cost of the mortgage must be less than 30 percent of an individual or family's income, he said. If someone paid $412,000 for a home with a 30-year mortgage, his monthly payment could be $2,500 or $30,000 a year. That individual would have to make $100,000 to keep within the 30 percent affordability guideline. An individual would have to make $126,000 if he bought a $533,000 house, under the same guideline.
Clark said Loudoun's average household income for last year was $112,448. That figure is understated, however, because it is based on total population and does not take into account stay-at-home moms and children, he added.
ACCORDING TO A SAMPLING of rental costs in Sterling and Ashburn, a one-bedroom apartment runs about $975, a two-bedroom, $1,300, and a three-bedroom, $1,500.
Chris O'Mealey, a Sterling mother of three, said her family had its share of difficulty last year when her husband, Mark, lost his job. She worked two jobs and still didn't always have enough money to pay the bills.
She knows people who are struggling, "living hand to mouth," she said. "For them, it's, 'When is it going to get better?'"
Rental and mortgage prices are the problem, she said. "The cost of living isn't bad, other than housing. The cost of food and electricity and gas is really not any worse than most places."
O'Mealey said she really likes Loudoun. "I think the school system is pretty decent. There are always plenty of activities for the children, plenty of shopping."
Collins said the study vindicates what residents and businessmen already knew. "It's a great place to live and a great place to work," he said. "You have everything you need in a community to operate a business profitably and successfully.
"At the same time, people who live here have all of the amenities you need, schools, churches, retail space. You have a great package."
Larry Rosenstrauch, director of Economic Development, said the study speaks to the association between education and high income. People who are well educated make more money than individuals without high school diplomas and college degrees. "This is one of the most highly educated areas in the country," he said. "Income and education are highly correlated."
The study lists high school grads at 93 percent, college grads at 47 percent and persons with graduate degrees at 15 percent.
Rosenstrauch said the study is a road map to what counties need to keep economies running. "Smart, talented people can go anywhere they want," he said. "You need amenities to keep them."
He said Loudoun offers historic and recreational resources, the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers, a picturesque countryside, an airport with access to the world and the nation's capital.
John Lee, an Ashburn father, said Loudoun is a great place to live. "I just think the costs are prohibitive."
He works two jobs to pay the mortgage. A three-bedroom townhouse in his community runs about $360,000, he said. For many, there isn't much money left over for activities.
Some families can only afford to live in Ashburn if they rent apartments in the subsidized housing complex, he added.
Ron Eamich, assistant director of Social Services, said the biggest issue Loudoun residents face is their inability to find an affordable place to live. "There are a lot of jobs and people are working, but for people to pay the high cost of rent and everything that goes with it, making a decent salary is not enough to be able to survive and raise a family," he said.
John Brothers, executive director of Good Shepherd Alliance, said the non-profit organization had to turn away 350 people from their shelters last year because they lacked space. This year, they estimate turning away 500. "I'm worried about the people who are one or two paychecks away from being in our shelters," he said. "We're seeing mid-level technology managers who were making $50,000 to $60,000 and finding themselves in a shelter."