When Nestlé USA, a subsidiary of Nestlé S.A., began searching for the site of its new U.S. corporate headquarters, the company’s criteria focused on location and talent. In 2017, following an arduous selection process that spanned 20 cities, Nestlé USA announced plans to invest $39.8 million to relocate its U.S. headquarters to Arlington County.

The largest real estate data firm in the U.S. wanted a home that will attract new college graduates – the majority of its workforce – and be affordable enough to retain talent. With a bounty of recent college graduates and a competitive cost of living, the Commonwealth’s capital city checked all the boxes for CoStar’s research headquarters.