In 1990, a study was conducted at Piedmont Virginia Community College (PVCC) to describe the PVCC service region in terms which would aid the college's strategic planning efforts. Specifically, the study was designed to provide descriptive statistical data on the service area, including population, construction, housing, transportation, education, income, and employment statistics. Trends with implications for college services were also identified. Major findings of the study included the following: (1) the service region population increased at an annual rate of 2.4% between 1970 and 1980 and was estimated to increase by 1.5% per year between 1980 and 1990; (2) the region's population as a whole grew at a faster rate than the state average, although the population density (73.6 people per square mile) was half of the state average (149 people/square mile); (3) residents of Charlottesville, Greene County, and Albemarle County enrolled at PVCC at a higher rate than residents of the service region as a whole; (4) family and household incomes in the service region were lower than the state averages; (5) the number of families classified as living below the poverty level, the unemployment rate, and the percentage of residents with less than 12 years of schooling were much higher in outlying counties than in those closest to PVCC; (6) enrollment projections for the 1990's included a large increase in older adults, a decrease in students aged 18-35, and a rise in the number of minorities and women; and (7) economically, the PVCC service region was characterized by a highly professional work force, a service or government orientation, and little manufacturing. (JMC)