For Release:
October 30, 2024
October 30, 2024
Virginia’s September County and Area Employment Figures Released
~ Over-the-Year Unemployment Rates Increased in Most of Virginia’s Counties1 and Metropolitan Statistical Areas ~
RICHMOND — Virginia Works (the Department of Workforce Development and Advancement) announced today that, compared to a year earlier, September 2024 unemployment rates (not seasonally adjusted) increased in 67 of Virginia's 133 counties and cities, decreased in 36, and remained unchanged in 30. In September, Highland County had the lowest unemployment rate at 2.3 percent, while Petersburg city had the highest at 5.9 percent. The employment estimates in this release are subject to large seasonal patterns; therefore, it is advisable to focus on over-the-year changes in the not seasonally adjusted estimates.
Among the metro areas, Winchester and Charlottesville had the lowest unemployment rates at 2.7 percent, while Lynchburg had the highest at 3.6 percent. The not seasonally adjusted statewide rate was 3.1 percent, a 0.1 percentage point increase from a year earlier and 0.8 of a percentage point lower than the national rate. The September 2024 local unemployment rates are online accompanying this release. You can also access the local unemployment rates by visiting VirginiaWorks.com.
The statistical reference week for the household survey this month was the week of September 8-14, 2024.
The October 2024 statewide unemployment rate and employment data for both the state and metropolitan areas are scheduled to be released on Tuesday, November 19, 2024. The data will be available on our website www.VirginiaWorks.com. The Virginia Department of Workforce Development and Advancement plans to release the October 2024 local area unemployment rates on Wednesday, November 27, 2024.
1 The Commonwealth of Virginia is divided into 95 counties, along with 38 independent cities that are considered county-equivalents for census purposes.
