Up next in our Spotlight on States series: Virginia!
The first permanent English settlement in America was established at Jamestown in 1607. Virginia became a colony in 1624 and entered the Union as the tenth state on June 25, 1788. The state was named for Queen Elizabeth I of England, known as the “Virgin Queen.” It is one of four states, along with Kentucky, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania, to be designated as a Commonwealth.
Virginia’s estimated population in 2024 was 8,811,195, making it the 12th most populous state. The capital of Virginia is Richmond, while the largest city is Virginia Beach. It is the 35th largest state in area.
Official Virginia State Symbols
Every state has their own unique symbols, from birds to flowers to songs and more! Here are some of Virginia’s official state symbols:
– Bird: Northern Cardinal
– Flower: Dogwood
– Dog: American Foxhound
– Fish: Brook Trout (freshwater), Striped Bass (saltwater)
– Insect: Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly
– Shell: Oyster Shell
– Snake: Eastern Garter Snake
– Spirit: George Washington’s rye whiskey produced at Mount Vernon
Find more information about Virginia’s state symbols here.
Fun Facts about Virginia
More U.S. presidents were born in Virginia than any other state, including four of our first five presidents: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe, William Harrison, John Tyler, Zachary Taylor, and Woodrow Wilson.
Virginia is the only state in the country to have opened an entire state park system at one time. On June 15, 1936, the Virginia State Park system opened to the public with six parks covering 19,000 acres.
One of Virginia’s top natural resources is its forests, which cover 62 percent of the state.
Originally settled by colonists in 1610, Hampton is the oldest continuously-inhabited English settlement in North America.
Naval Station Norfolk is the world’s largest naval base, with more than 78 ships from the Atlantic fleet using the station as a home port.
Virginia contains 544 miles of the Appalachian Trail, more than any other state.
Famous people from Virginia include tennis player Arthur Ashe, Pat Benatar, Warren Beatty, Katie Couric, and Shirley MacLaine.
NCP Panel Members in Virginia
Want to learn more about your fellow panel members in another state? Here’s how our Virginia panel members answered some of our survey questions!
How long have you been a panel member?
– 30% of survey respondents have been members for 15 or more years.
– 11% have been members for less than a year.
How long have you lived in your current state?
– 72% of respondents have lived in Virginia for more than 15 years.
Is the area you live rural, suburban, or urban?
– 31% live in rural areas
– 56% live in suburban areas
– 13% live in urban areas
Do you have children?
– 72% of respondents have children
– Of those, 26% have children living in their home
Shopping habits of NCP Panel Members in Virginia
Do you think peoples’ shopping habits differ based on where they live? We’re curious about this, so we asked our panel members questions about how, when, and where they shop, along with some other questions about their habits.
Here’s what our panel members in Virginia had to say about their shopping habits:
– 67% of respondents shop both online and in-store, with 30% shopping in-store only.
– 64% of respondents tend to shop at the same stores.
– 72% of respondents mostly stick to their list when shopping, but sometimes make impulse purchases.
– 66% of respondents shop alone, while another 22% shop with a spouse or partner.
When it comes to choosing where to shop, 52% of panel members shop mostly at grocery stores. Another 30% primarily shop at mass-merchandise retailers. Price, location, and convenience are the top factors that influence where people decide to shop. Other things that influence where panel members shop are store cleanliness, rewards programs, availability of delivery services, and store sales.
Convenience while shopping
While ordering groceries and other items online has long been an option, the COVID-19 pandemic made delivery and pick-up a lot more common for people.
Here’s what Virginia panel members had to say about it:
– 62% never order groceries online and pick up at the store, while 26% do sometimes.
– 68% never order groceries online to be delivered, while 22% do sometimes.
And finally: self-checkout. Some people love it, others hate it. According to our survey, 20% of respondents always choose self-checkout, with another 45% indicating they frequently choose it. 25% of respondents rarely use it, and 10% never do.
Interests of NCP Panel Members in Virginia
Here are a few other fun facts about Virginia panel members from our survey!
More than half of respondents engage in outdoor recreational activities regularly or occasionally. The most popular outdoor activities are hiking and walking – it was a favorite for 85% of panel members. A few of the other answers panel members wrote in include horseback riding, croquet, beekeeping, and stock car racing.
We asked panelists which sports they follow, and 44% said none, while another 40% said football. Some of the other sports panelists follow are professional bowling, gymnastics, and cricket.
We also wanted to know: what place would you recommend to visitors in your hometown or state? The most popular types of attractions panel members recommend in Virginia are historical and cultural museums. Here are some other answers we got from panel members:
– Colonial Williamsburg
– Shenandoah National Park
– Luray Caverns
– Monticello
– Busch Gardens
Did you learn anything new about Virginia? How do your shopping habits compare to panel members in Virginia?
We hope you enjoy learning about panel members in other states. Stay tuned for the next state: Washington!
Join NCP!
If you’re not a NCP panel member and you’re interested in joining NCP to share your shopping experiences, earn great rewards, and influence what you see on store shelves, click here or go to the Join NCP section of the blog for more information.
Regards,
Taylor
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