May 20, 2022
Timothy Aylor
Senior Economist
Economic Information & Analytics Division
timothy.aylor@vec.virginia.gov
(804) 786-3976
Virginia’s April Unemployment Rate Unchanged from March at 3.0 Percent; Labor Force Participation Rate Increased to 63.5 Percent and Employed Virginians by 19,605
RICHMOND— Virginia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was unchanged in April at 3.0 percent, which is 1.3 percentage points below the rate from a year ago. According to household survey data in April, the labor force increased by 18,281 to 4,329,907, as the number of unemployed residents decreased by 1,324 to 129,771.
The number of employed residents rose by 19,605 to 4,200,136. Virginia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate continues to be below the national rate, which was unchanged at 3.6 percent. The Commonwealth’s labor force participation rate rose by 0.2 of a percentage point to 63.5 percent in April. The labor force participation rate measures the proportion of the civilian population age 16 and older that is employed or actively looking for work.
Virginia nonagricultural wage and salary employment, from the monthly establishment survey, rose by 13,600 jobs in April to 4,037,800. March’s preliminary estimate was revised up by 3,300, adding to that month’s job gain. In April, private sector employment increased by 13,600 jobs to 3,323,400 while public sector payrolls were unchanged at 714,400. An increase within that sector occurred in local government (+400 jobs), but employment fell in state government (-300 jobs) and federal government employment (-100 jobs).
Employment rose in six of eleven major industry sectors, was unchanged in two, and declined in three. The largest job gain during April occurred in education and health services with an increase of 7,100 jobs to 553,300. The second largest increase occurred in leisure and hospitality (+6,400 jobs) to 401,100. Professional and business services gained 1,900 jobs, rising to 791,900 in April. Other increases included miscellaneous (+1,100 jobs) to 189,200, manufacturing (+300 jobs) to 235,900, and finance (+100 jobs) to 207,500. Government and mining were unchanged over the month, at 714,400 and 7,200 respectively. The largest job loss during April occurred in trade and transportation (-2,100 jobs) to 663,400. The second largest decrease occurred in construction with a decrease of 1,100 jobs to 206,000. The third largest decrease occurred in information with a decrease of 100 jobs to 67,900.
Nonfarm Employment in Virginia*
Seasonally Adjusted
Industry | Employment | March 2022 to | April 2021 to | ||||
April | March 2022 | April | Change | % Change | Change | % Change | |
Total Nonfarm | 4,037,800 | 4,024,200 | 3,913,300 | 13,600 | 0.3% | 124,500 | 3.2% |
Total Private Sector | 3,323,400 | 3,309,800 | 3,207,700 | 13,600 | 0.4% | 115,700 | 3.6% |
Goods-Producing | 449,100 | 449,900 | 449,600 | -800 | -0.2% | -500 | -0.1% |
Mining | 7,200 | 7,200 | 7,000 | 0 | 0.0% | 200 | 2.9% |
Construction | 206,000 | 207,100 | 205,700 | -1,100 | -0.5% | 300 | 0.1% |
Manufacturing | 235,900 | 235,600 | 236,900 | 300 | 0.1% | -1,000 | -0.4% |
Service-Providing | 3,588,700 | 3,574,300 | 3,463,700 | 14,400 | 0.4% | 125,000 | 3.6% |
Private Service-Providing | 2,874,300 | 2,859,900 | 2,758,100 | 14,400 | 0.5% | 116,200 | 4.2% |
Trade, Transportation, and Utilities | 663,400 | 665,500 | 652,200 | -2,100 | -0.3% | 11,200 | 1.7% |
Information | 67,900 | 68,000 | 65,600 | -100 | -0.1% | 2,300 | 3.5% |
Finance | 207,500 | 207,400 | 210,200 | 100 | 0.0% | -2,700 | -1.3% |
Professional and Business Services | 791,900 | 790,000 | 773,300 | 1,900 | 0.2% | 18,600 | 2.4% |
Education and Health Services | 553,300 | 546,200 | 535,300 | 7,100 | 1.3% | 18,000 | 3.4% |
Leisure and Hospitality Services | 401,100 | 394,700 | 338,700 | 6,400 | 1.6% | 62,400 | 18.4% |
Miscellaneous Services | 189,200 | 188,100 | 182,800 | 1,100 | 0.6% | 6,400 | 3.5% |
Government | 714,400 | 714,400 | 705,600 | 0 | 0.0% | 8,800 | 1.2% |
Federal Government | 185,600 | 185,700 | 187,000 | -100 | -0.1% | -1,400 | -0.7% |
State Government | 154,300 | 154,600 | 153,200 | -300 | -0.2% | 1,100 | 0.7% |
Local Government | 374,500 | 374,100 | 365,400 | 400 | 0.1% | 9,100 | 2.5% |
*Current month's estimates are preliminary.
From April 2021 to April 2022, the VEC estimates that establishments in Virginia gained 124,500 jobs, an increase of 3.2%. In April, the private sector recorded an over-the-year gain of 115,700 jobs, while employment in the public sector gained 8,800 jobs.
Compared to a year ago, on a seasonally adjusted basis, nine of eleven major industry divisions experienced employment increases while two saw employment decreases. The largest over-the-year job gain occurred in leisure and hospitality, up 62,400 jobs (+18.4%). The second-largest over-the-year job gain occurred in professional and business services, up 18,600 jobs (+2.4%). The next largest over-the-year job gain occurred in education and health services, up 18,000 jobs (+3.4%). Other job gains occurred in trade and transportation (+11,200 jobs), government (+8,800 jobs), miscellaneous (+6,400 jobs), information (+2,300 jobs), construction (+300 jobs), and mining (+200 jobs). Within government, local (+9,100 jobs) and state government (+1,100 jobs) both gained jobs over the year while federal government saw a decrease in employment (-1,400 jobs). The largest job loss during April occurred in finance (-2,700 jobs) to 207,500. The second largest decrease occurred in manufacturing with a decrease of 1,000 jobs to 235,900.
Total Nonfarm Employment in Virginia*
Area | Employment | March 2022 to | April 2021 to | ||||
April | March | April | Change | % Change | Change | % Change | |
Virginia | 4,037,800 | 4,024,200 | 3,913,300 | 13,600 | 0.3% | 124,500 | 3.2% |
Blacksburg-Christiansburg- | 80,800 | 80,700 | 76,800 | 100 | 0.1% | 4,000 | 5.2% |
Charlottesville MSA | 118,700 | 118,400 | 114,500 | 300 | 0.3% | 4,200 | 3.7% |
Harrisonburg MSA | 69,500 | 69,600 | 67,600 | -100 | -0.1% | 1,900 | 2.8% |
Lynchburg MSA | 104,000 | 103,800 | 101,100 | 200 | 0.2% | 2,900 | 2.9% |
Northern Virginia MSA | 1,520,700 | 1,520,300 | 1,476,700 | 400 | 0.0% | 44,000 | 3.0% |
Richmond MSA | 674,800 | 673,200 | 660,800 | 1,600 | 0.2% | 14,000 | 2.1% |
Roanoke MSA | 158,800 | 159,200 | 156,500 | -400 | -0.3% | 2,300 | 1.5% |
Staunton-Waynesboro MSA | 51,500 | 51,000 | 49,600 | 500 | 1.0% | 1,900 | 3.8% |
Virginia Beach- | 778,800 | 776,200 | 764,800 | 2,600 | 0.3% | 14,000 | 1.8% |
Winchester, | 68,000 | 68,600 | 66,400 | -600 | -0.9% | 1,600 | 2.4% |
*Current month's estimates are preliminary.
Seasonally adjusted total nonfarm employment data is produced for ten metropolitan areas. In April, seven metropolitan areas experienced over-the-month job gains while three declined. The largest absolute job increase occurred in Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News (+2,600 jobs). The next largest absolute job gain occurred in Richmond (+1,600 jobs). The third largest increase occurred in Staunton-Waynesboro (+500 jobs). Northern Virginia added 400 jobs. Other over-the-month job gains occurred in Charlottesville (+300 jobs), Lynchburg (+200 jobs), and Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford (+100 jobs). The largest job loss during April occurred in Winchester (-600 jobs). The second largest decrease occurred in Roanoke (-400 jobs) and the third largest decrease occurred in Harrisonburg (-100 jobs).
Over-the-year, seasonally adjusted total nonfarm employment increased in all ten metropolitan areas. The Northern Virginia metropolitan area experienced the largest absolute job gain, up 44,000 jobs (+3.0%). Richmond and Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News tied for second, with a gain of 14,000 jobs. Other over-the-year job gains occurred in Charlottesville (+4,200 jobs), Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford (+4,000 jobs), Lynchburg (+2,900 jobs), Roanoke (+2,300 jobs), Harrisonburg (+1,900 jobs), Staunton-Waynesboro (+1,900 jobs), and Winchester (+1,600 jobs).
Not Seasonally Adjusted Data
Virginia’s unadjusted unemployment rate decreased 0.2 of a percentage point in April to 2.5 percent. This is 1.4 percentage points lower than the rate from a year ago. Compared to a year ago, the number of unemployed decreased by 58,104, household employment increased by 133,553, and the labor force increased by 75,449. Virginia’s not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate continues to be below the national unadjusted rate, which decreased by 0.5 of a percentage point in April to 3.3 percent.
Compared to last month, the April unadjusted workweek for Virginia’s 154,100 manufacturing production workers decreased by one hour to 39.2 hours. Average hourly earnings of private-sector production workers decreased by $.04 to $21.60 in April and average weekly earnings decreased by $23.21 to $846.72.
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Technical note: Estimates of unemployment and industry employment levels are obtained from two separate monthly surveys. Resident employment and unemployment data are mainly derived from the Virginia portion of the national Current Population Survey (CPS), a household survey conducted each month by the U.S. Census Bureau under contract with BLS, which provides input to the Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) program (often referred to as the “household” survey). Industry employment data is mainly derived from the Current Employment Statistics (CES) survey, a monthly survey of approximately 18,000 Virginia businesses conducted by BLS, which provides estimates of employment, hours, and earnings data broken down by industry for the nation as a whole, all states and most major metropolitan areas (often referred to as the “establishment” survey). Both industry and household estimates are revised each month based on additional information from updated survey reports compiled by the BLS. For national figures and information on how COVID-19 affected collection of the BLS establishment and household surveys in April 2020, refer to the BLS April 2022 Employment Situation press release for details.
The statistical reference week for the household survey this month was the week of April 10-16, 2022.
The Virginia Employment Commission plans to release the April local area unemployment rates on Wednesday, June 1, 2022. The data will be available on our website www.VirginiaWorks.com. The May 2022 statewide unemployment rate and employment data for both the state and metropolitan areas are scheduled to be released on Friday, June 17, 2022.
Files detailing April's unemployment numbers are available below:
