After graduating from high school and then college in West Virginia, I escaped as fast as I could to Northern Virginia. When I go back to visit it's like being in a "time warp". Not much has changed.
Stay in Northern VA. I left the beltway megatropolis as quickly as I could and am very happy to be able to maintain a good job in West Virginia. If you like the great outdoors, this really is "Almost Heaven".
But I will say that that whole corridor H pork project kinda pissed me off!