Melissa Goodier, Author at Rockville Economic Development, Inc

Rockville Scores High on AARP’s Top 100 Places to Live for Older Adults

Rockville, MD ranks #5 in the United States in the mid-size community category of the 2025 AARP Livability Index

With an overall score of 66, Rockville stands out as a national leader in creating an environment where residents of all ages can thrive. This ranking is bolstered by the strength of Montgomery County as a whole, which ranked #2 nationally for very large communities.

The AARP Index evaluates cities across seven key categories: housing, neighborhood, transportation, environment, health, engagement, and opportunity. Rockville’s ranking is attributed to its investments in infrastructure, community services and its engaged residents.

Rockville’s #5 spot on AARP’s Index is bolstered by:

Talent Attraction & Retention: Modern professionals are increasingly choosing where to live based on community assets. Rockville’s high scores in transportation connectivity and walkable neighborhoods attract and retain families and a highly skilled workforce that drives the city’s economy.
The “Lifetime City” Advantage: Rockville’s investments in its infrastructure and community services provides an accessible and health-forward environment that allows residents to grow their career through every stage of life. This stability creates a consistent, reliable workforce for local employers.
Proximity to Innovation: Rockville’s livability is the foundation of its status as the center of the Biotech Corridor. With over 120 life science and biotech companies located in Rockville, the convergence of world-class research and a high-quality lifestyle make the city a desirable place to live and work.

View Rockville’s AARP Livability Index report: https://livabilityindex.aarp.org/search/Rockville,%20Maryland,%20United%20States

View the full 2025 AARP Top 100 Places to Live for Older adults: https://www.aarp.org/home-living/top-places-to-live-2025/

Business Spotlight: Little Miner Taco

"The OG birria of the DMV"

What is your business’ origin story?

Owner and founder Kathy Voss has a wealth of experience in the restaurant industry but reached a point in her career where there was no more room to grow. She decided to team up with one of her restaurant coworkers to open their own place, serving something they both loved to eat every day–tacos. Little Miner Taco opened in Brentwood in 2019, expanding to Pike & Rose in 2020 before moving to their home at The Square at Rockville in 2024. Kathy and her partner saw an opportunity to bring birria de res to the east coast–a rich, flavorful Mexican beef stew that Little Miner Taco slow cooks over 24 hours to achieve the perfect taste.

How does Little Miner Taco align with or enhance the overall restaurant landscape of Rockville?

“I feel really tethered to the community, so we do everything we can do enhance their lives,” says owner and founder Kathy Voss. Little Miner Taco aims to bring good energy, employment, and an affordable food option to Rockville; plus, a portion of proceeds from kids’ meals go toward paying off school lunch debt.

What role has the community of Rockville played in the success of Little Miner Taco?

From customers to community partners and local government, Rockville has welcomed Little Miner Taco with open arms. “There’s such great resources in Rockville; I can’t recommend opening a business there enough,” says Kathy.

“Rockville is made up of a group of people who want to see their city thrive. Everyone was helpful and easy to work with, making it easy to file permits and get everything prepared to open."

What’s next for your business?

Because making birria de res is very labor intensive, Little Miner Taco is moving toward manufacturing to sell birria wholesale to other businesses and restaurants who would like to serve it but don’t have the resources to make it in-house.

What advice would you give to new businesses aiming to be longstanding fixtures in the community?

It’s important to find partners and mentors you can ask for advice (and to be open to receiving help). When it comes to running a business, “you don’t know what you don’t know.”

About Little Miner Taco

Little Miner Taco is a taqueria specializing in birria de res with three locations in Maryland and DC.

Visit Little Miner Taco Rockville at 39 Maryland AVE, Suite A, Rockville, MD 20850

Learn more about Little Miner Taco at https://www.littleminertaco.com/

Follow Little Miner Taco on Facebook, Instagram, and X.

TEDCO Announces Investment in Rockville-Based Wearable Tech Company

TEDCO Announces Nearly $500,000 in Cybersecurity and Information Technology Investment in Stacato LLC

COLUMBIA, Md., (January 26, 2026) — TEDCO, Maryland’s economic engine for technology companies, recently announced a nearly $500,000 investment in Stacato LLC. The funding was awarded through TEDCO’s Cybersecurity Investment Fund (CIF), which is part of its Seed Funds dedicated to supporting cybersecurity and information technology companies.

Located in Rockville, Stacato LLC is a defense technology company focused on developing secure, wireless communications for warfighters. The company’s work aims to integrate immersive augmented reality and tactical communications with electronic resilience to enhance current military capabilities.

“TEDCO looks forward to seeing our investment support this Maryland-based defense technology company’s growth,” said Katherine Hill Ritchie, senior director of Venture Funds at TEDCO. “We hope our support furthers research and development efforts on such innovative technology that can be utilized by our troops.”

The Cybersecurity Investment Fund is designed to provide capital to companies that are often overlooked by traditional financing sources. This investment aligns with Maryland’s broader effort to leverage its concentration of federal facilities and world-class talent to foster a collaborative innovation ecosystem.

“With more than 60 federal facilities across the state, founders have ample opportunity to collaborate with, support and leverage the world-class equipment and talent to further innovative growth,” said TEDCO CEO, Troy LeMaile-Stovall. “Companies looking to expand and innovate need to look no further than Maryland’s collaborative innovation ecosystem.”

This latest investment highlights the continued growth of Rockville’s technology sector and the availability of state resources to support early-stage companies as they scale.

Link to Press Release: https://www.tedcomd.com/news-events/press-releases/2026/tedco-invests-stacato

Rockville Named One of the “7 Best Places To Live In Maryland In 2026”

Rockville exemplifies many of the key qualities that make Maryland communities great places to live

Rockville, Maryland has been named one of Maryland’s “Best Places to Live” for a second year in a row by WorldAtlas, one of the largest publishing resources in geography and related topics including sociology, demography, environment, economics, politics, and travel. This recognition reflects Rockville’s ongoing commitment to quality of life, economic opportunity, and vibrant community living.

According to WorldAtlas, Rockville exemplifies many of the key qualities that make Maryland communities great places to live:

Strong employment base and economic connectivity: Rockville is part of one of Maryland’s most dynamic job corridors with direct Metro access to Washington, D.C., and deep concentrations of federal agencies, healthcare, biotech, and tech employers.
High-performing public schools: The excellence of Rockville’s schools continues to be a draw for families and new residents alike.
Transit and infrastructure: Multiple Red Line Metro stations make commuting easy, while reliable local infrastructure supports everyday living and long-term growth.
Parks and outdoor lifestyle: With Rock Creek Regional Park on its doorstep and miles of trails, lakes, and green space, Rockville offers outdoor access that enriches daily life — not just weekend recreation.
A vibrant downtown: Rockville Town Square serves as a true civic and cultural center, bringing people together for everything from dining and shopping to public events and seasonal festivities.

Per WorldAtlas, Rockville is “a common choice for families and professionals” due to its powerful combination of community amenities, access, and infrastructure that supports a high quality of life. Rockville continues to grow and evolve while staying true to the qualities that make it special — strong neighborhoods, thriving local businesses, accessible transit, and a welcoming community for residents of all ages and backgrounds. This latest accolade follows other recent rankings that highlight Rockville’s strength as both a place to live and work; U.S. News & World Report also ranked Rockville among the top places to live in Maryland for 2025–2026, underscoring the city’s balanced lifestyle, economic opportunity, and quality amenities.

To read the entire list from WorldAtlas, click here: https://www.worldatlas.com/cities/8-best-places-to-live-in-maryland-2025.html

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Author: Melissa Goodier