Traffic congestion is no longer the top concern for residents here: It’s now housing affordability, according to a new survey.

A Reston-based research consultant, Heart & Mind Strategies, conducted a survey in December, gathering input from over 600 adults in Northern Virginia, extending research from previous years.

Adults’ top concern used to be reducing traffic congestion and improving transportation options, which was 33% of respondents in 2016, but that’s now dropped to 16%.

Meanwhile, concerns about improving affordability of housing and living, making it easier to afford to live here, increased from 18% in 2016 to 24% in 2019 before dropping to 21%.

The results were shared during a Northern Virginia Transportation Authority meeting last Thursday (March 10). The authority has been assessing the area through its TransAction long-range plan.

To find out more about residents’ needs, we’re asking readers how they’re handling the competitive and pricey real estate market.