RICHMOND— Virginia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in September remained unchanged at 2.5%, which is 0.5 percentage points below the rate from a year ago. According to household survey data in September, the labor force increased by 9,025 to 4,610,653 as the number of unemployed residents increased by 3,191 to 116,293. The number of employed residents increased by 5,834 to 4,494,360. Virginia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate is 1.3 percentage points below the national rate, which remained unchanged at 3.8%.

The Commonwealth’s labor force participation rate increased by 0.1 percentage points to 66.8% in September. The labor force participation rate measures the proportion of the civilian population age 16 and older that is employed or actively looking for work.

In September, Virginia’s nonagricultural employment, from the monthly establishment survey decreased by 100 to 4,157,700. August’s preliminary estimate of employment, after revision, increased by 1,000 to 4,157,800. In September, private sector employment increased by 3,500 to 3,422,100 while government employment decreased by 3,600 to 735,600. Within that sector, federal government jobs increased by 400 to 186,100, state government employment increased by 800 to 162,600, and local government decreased by 4,800 to 386,900 over the month.  

Seasonally adjusted total nonfarm employment data is produced for eleven industry sectors. In September, four experienced over-the-month job gains, one remained unchanged, and six experienced a decline. The largest job gain occurred in Education and Health Services (+3,900) to 583,600. The second largest job gain occurred in Professional and Business Services (+3,400) to 818,200. The third largest job gain occurred in Leisure and Hospitality (+1,400) to 407,900. The other gain was in Financial Activities (+400) to 217,700.

The largest job loss occurred in Construction (-3,800) to 210,200. The second largest job loss occurred in Government (-3,600) to 735,600. The third largest job loss occurred in Information (-800) to 71,600. The other losses were in Manufacturing (-500) to 244,800; Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-300) to 667,400; and Miscellaneous Services (-200) to 193,700.
Mining and Logging remained unchanged.

Nonfarm Employment in Virginia*
Seasonally Adjusted

*Current month's estimates are preliminary.

From September 2022 to September 2023, the DWDA estimates that total nonfarm employment in Virginia increased by 51,000 to 4,157,700, private sector employment increased by 36,200 to 3,422,100, and government employment increased by 14,800 to 735,600 jobs. Within that sector, federal government jobs decreased by 800 to 186,100, state government employment increased by 8,900 to 162,600, and local government increased by 6,700 to 386,900 over the year.

For the eleven industry sectors in Virginia over the year, six experienced over-the-year job gains, and five experienced a decline. The largest job gain occurred in Education and Health Services (+22,300) to 583,600. The second largest job gain occurred in Government (+14,800) to 735,600. The third largest job gain occurred in Leisure and Hospitality (+10,200) to 407,900. The other gains were in Professional and Business Services (+6,500) to 818,200; Miscellaneous Services (+2,100) to 193,700; and Information (+1,000) to 71,600.

The largest job loss occurred in Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-2,300) to 667,400. The second largest job loss occurred in Construction (-1,300) to 210,200. The third largest job loss occurred in Manufacturing (-1,300) to 244,800. The other losses were in Financial Activities (-800) to 217,700 and Mining and Logging (-200) to 7,000.

Total Nonfarm Employment in Virginia*
Seasonally Adjusted

*Current month's estimates are preliminary.

Seasonally adjusted total nonfarm employment data is produced for ten metropolitan areas. In September, seven experienced over-the-month job gains, two remained unchanged, and one experienced a decline. The largest job gain occurred in Richmond (+4,000) to 714,800. The second largest job gain occurred in Northern Virginia (+2,300) to 1,578,800. The third largest job gain occurred in Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News (+1,600) to 794,400. The other gains were in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford (+1,500) to 81,800; Lynchburg (+600) to 105,100; Winchester (+600) to 71,400; and Harrisonburg (+400) to 72,500.

The only job loss occurred in Staunton (-100) to 52,800. Charlottesville and Roanoke remained unchanged.

Over the year, eight experienced over-the-year job gains, two remained unchanged, and none experienced a decline. The largest job gain occurred in Northern Virginia (+30,100) to 1,578,800. The second largest job gain occurred in Richmond (+10,500) to 714,800. The third largest job gain occurred in Charlottesville (+2,800) to 123,400. The other gains were in Harrisonburg (+2,700) to 72,500; Roanoke (+2,400) to 165,300; Winchester (+900) to 71,400; Lynchburg (+600) to 105,100; and Staunton (+100) to 52,800.

Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford and Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News remained unchanged.

Not Seasonally Adjusted Data

Virginia’s unadjusted unemployment rate decreased by 0.1 percentage points to 3.0% in September. It has remained unchanged at 3.0% compared to last year. Compared to a year ago, the number of unemployed increased by 7,011 to 138,664, household employment increased by 165,514 to 4,481,811, and the labor force increased by 172,525 to 4,620,475. Virginia’s not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate is 0.6 percentage points below the national unadjusted rate, which decreased by 0.3 percentage points to 3.6%.

Compared to last month, the September unadjusted workweek for Virginia’s 158,500 manufacturing production workers decreased by 0.4 to 40.9 hours. Average hourly earnings of private-sector production workers increased by $0.65 to $25.42, and average weekly earnings increased by $16.68 to $1,039.68.

###

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 September Employment Situation press release for details.

The statistical reference week for the household survey this month was the week of September 10-16, 2023

Files detailing September's unemployment numbers are available below: