6 ▁places ▁in ▁Virginia ▁were ▁survey ed ▁and ▁most ▁of ▁Virginia ' s ▁cities ▁were ▁grouped ▁together ▁by ▁For bes ▁as ▁" N or thern ▁Virginia ". ▁Lyn ch burg ▁achieved ▁the ▁rank ▁of ▁ 1 0 9 th ▁in ▁the ▁whole ▁nation ▁in ▁the ▁same ▁survey . ▁ ▁Indust ries ▁within ▁the ▁Lyn ch burg ▁M SA ▁include ▁nuclear ▁technology , ▁ph arma ce ut ical s ▁and ▁material ▁handling . ▁A ▁divers ity ▁of ▁small ▁business es ▁with ▁the ▁region ▁has ▁helped ▁maintain ▁a ▁stable ▁economy ▁and ▁minim ized ▁the ▁dow nt urn s ▁of ▁the ▁national ▁economy . ▁Re aching ▁as ▁high ▁as ▁ 1 st ▁place ▁( t ied ) ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁Lyn ch burg ▁has ▁been ▁within ▁the ▁Top ▁ 1 0 ▁Digital ▁C ities ▁survey ▁for ▁its ▁population ▁since ▁the ▁survey ' s ▁in ception ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 4 . ▁ ▁Top ▁employ ers ▁ ▁According ▁to ▁Lyn ch burg ' s ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁Com pre h ensive ▁Ann ual ▁Fin an cial ▁Report , ▁the ▁top ▁private ▁employ ers ▁in ▁the ▁city ▁are : ▁ ▁Government ▁ ▁The ▁government ▁of ▁Lyn ch burg ▁uses ▁a ▁Council - Manager ▁system . ▁The ▁Lyn ch burg ▁City ▁Council ▁is ▁composed ▁of ▁seven ▁members , ▁each ▁elected ▁to ▁a ▁four - year ▁term . ▁There ▁are ▁four ▁w ards ▁that ▁elect ▁a ▁member ; ▁the ▁remaining ▁three ▁are ▁elected ▁by ▁at - large ▁elections ▁in ▁which ▁the ▁top ▁three