112 MacTanly Place
Staunton, VA 24401
phone: 540-885-5174
fax: 540-885-2687
View Our Regional Collaboration Video
Investments in the Region Report FY24
CSPDC Housing Study Report Released
Welcome to the CSPDC
The Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission (CSPDC) represents and serves the local governments of Augusta, Bath, Highland, Rockbridge, and Rockingham counties and the cities of Buena Vista, Harrisonburg, Lexington, Staunton and Waynesboro as well as the 11 towns within the Central Shenandoah region.
The CSPDC works with its member jurisdictions, communities and agencies to provide high-quality planning, technical assistance, and facilitation of services that address local, regional and state needs in an innovative, timely and cooperative manner. Covering everything from land use planning, transportation, water and waste-water utilities, natural resource management, affordable housing, economic and community development, disaster mitigation and preparedness, agritourism to human services, the CSPDC is an invaluable asset to the quality of life in the Shenandoah Valley. For more information about the CSPDC, click here.
Afton Express Releases 2025 Annual Report
We are pleased to present the 2025 Afton Express Annual Report, which documents the commuter service’s performance, regional impact, and key initiatives from the past year. The report highlights the service’s fourth consecutive year of ridership growth, with 23,725 passenger trips recorded a 24% increase over 2024. This growth reflects Afton Express’ vital role in connecting the Central Shenandoah Valley and the Greater Charlottesville region.
We hope you will review the Annual Report to learn more about milestones like implementing schedule optimization to better align the service with commuter travel patterns, and broader regional outcomes associated with the service, including cost savings for riders, reductions in vehicle miles traveled, and improvements to quality of life for the regional workforce. The 2025 Afton Express Annual Report is available for review here: Afton Express Annual Report
New Census Data is Here: 2020-2024 ACS Estimates Released
The wait is over for the latest demographic profiles of our region. On January 29, 2026, the U.S. Census Bureau officially released the 2020-2024 American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year estimates. As the “gold standard” for local planning, the ACS provides the most comprehensive look at social, economic, housing, and demographic trends across the country. This latest release is particularly notable as it introduces eight new tables specifically focused on housing and race, offering deeper insights into our community’s makeup.
The CSPDC serves as a central hub for regional data. This fresh information allows our staff to support city officials, local businesses, and non-profits with precision. These figures are the backbone of critical decisions including determining exactly where funding and services are needed most, planning for affordable housing, and informing disaster preparedness, transportation planning, and agritourism development.
To make this data accessible, the CSPDC is updating our Facts & Figures reports. These sub-regional reports are easy-to-read snapshots of people, jobs, and schools data. Stay tuned for the official release of these updated sub-regional profiles in the coming weeks.
Save the Date: VAPDC Funding and Financing Workshop
On May 13th, 2026, CSPDC will host the first of four super-regional workshops organized by the Virginia Association of PDCs (VAPDC). The day-long workshop is intended for local and regional economic development staff, lenders and developers to learn about funding and financing opportunities available from state and federal agencies for public infrastructure projects. The Virginia Resources Authority will provide a lunch-time keynote presentation.
The workshop will take place at Hotel 24 South in Staunton. We look forward to sharing more details about registration and the final agenda this spring.
