RICHMOND— Virginia Works (Department of Workforce Development and Advancement) today announced that Virginia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in January remained unchanged at 3.0 percent, which is 0.1 percentage point below the rate from a year ago. According to household survey data in January, the number of employed residents increased by 8,212 to 4,448,520 and the number of unemployed residents increased by 346 to 139,731. The labor force increased by 8,558 to 4,588,251. Virginia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate is 0.7 percentage points below the national rate, which remained unchanged at 3.7 percent.

The Commonwealth’s labor force participation rate increased by 0.1 percentage points to 66.6 percent in January. 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 January, Virginia’s nonagricultural employment, from the monthly establishment survey increased by 8,700 to 4,200,000. December’s preliminary estimate of employment, after revision, increased by 34,300 to 4,191,300. In January, private sector employment increased by 4,200 to 3,458,500 while government employment increased by 4,500 to 741,500. Within that sector, federal government jobs increased by 700 to 190,500, state government employment increased by 3,700 to 157,400, and local government increased by 100 to 393,600 over the month.

Seasonally adjusted total nonfarm employment data is produced for eleven industry sectors. In January, six experienced over-the-month job gains, one remained unchanged, and four experienced a decline. The largest job gain occurred in Professional and Business Services (+5,100) to 807,900. The second largest job gain occurred in Government (+4,500) to 741,500. The third largest job gain occurred in Financial Activities (+1,400) to 224,000. The other gains were in Manufacturing (+1,100) to 248,600; Education and Health Services (+500) to 594,600; and Mining and Logging (+100) to 7,300.

The largest job loss occurred in Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-2,200) to 670,000. The second largest job loss occurred in Leisure and Hospitality (-1,500) to 417,300. The third largest job loss occurred in Information (-200) to 69,500. The other loss was in Construction (-100) to 218,100.

Miscellaneous Services remained unchanged.

Nonfarm Employment in Virginia*
Seasonally Adjusted

*Current month's estimates are preliminary.

From January 2023 to January 2024, Virginia Works (DWDA) estimates that total nonfarm employment in Virginia increased by 59,900 to 4,200,000, private sector employment increased by 42,900 to 3,458,500, and government employment increased by 17,000 to 741,500 jobs. Within that sector, federal government jobs increased by 2,700 to 190,500, state government employment increased by 7,500 to 157,400, and local government increased by 6,800 to 393,600 over the year.

For the eleven industry sectors in Virginia over the year, seven experienced over-the-year job gains, and four experienced a decline. The largest job gain occurred in Education and Health Services (+22,500) to 594,600. The second largest job gain occurred in Government (+17,000) to 741,500. The third largest job gain occurred in Leisure and Hospitality (+13,800) to 417,300. The other gains were in Miscellaneous Services (+4,800) to 201,200; Financial Activities (+3,300) to 224,000; Construction (+3,200) to 218,100; and Manufacturing (+2,300) to 248,600.

The largest job loss occurred in Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-2,700) to 670,000. The second largest job loss occurred in Professional and Business Services (-2,400) to 807,900. The third largest job loss occurred in Information (-1,800) to 69,500. The other loss was in Mining and Logging (-100) to 7,300.

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 January, six experienced over-the-month job gains, two remained unchanged, and two experienced a decline. The largest job gain occurred in Richmond (+3,300) to 718,400. The second largest job gain occurred in Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News (+2,700) to 817,100. The third largest job gain occurred in Northern Virginia (+500) to 1,580,200. The other gains were in Charlottesville (+400) to 125,700; Lynchburg (+300) to 105,400; and Roanoke (+100) to 167,000.

The largest job loss occurred in Harrisonburg (-200) to 72,000. The second largest job loss occurred in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford (-100) to 85,100. Staunton and Winchester remained unchanged.

Over the year, all metro areas experienced over-the-year job gains, and none experienced a decline. The largest job gain occurred in Northern Virginia (+17,800) to 1,580,200. The second largest job gain occurred in Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News (+13,200) to 817,100. The third largest job gain occurred in Richmond (+8,800) to 718,400. The other gains were in Charlottesville (+3,700) to 125,700; Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford (+3,500) to 85,100; Roanoke (+2,900) to 167,000; Lynchburg (+1,900) to 105,400; Winchester (+1,500) to 72,400; Harrisonburg (+1,300) to 72,000; and Staunton (+300) to 54,000.

Not Seasonally Adjusted Data

Virginia’s unadjusted unemployment rate remained unchanged at 2.7% in January. It has decreased by 0.3 percentage points to 2.7% compared to last year. Compared to a year ago, the number of unemployed decreased by 10,630 to 124,967, household employment increased by 90,884 to 4,433,075, and the labor force increased by 80,254 to 4,558,042. Virginia’s not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate is 1.4 percentage points below the national unadjusted rate, which increased by 0.6 percentage points to 4.1%.

Compared to last month, the January unadjusted workweek for Virginia’s 161,200 manufacturing production workers decreased by 0.2 to 38.9 hours. Average hourly earnings of private-sector production workers increased by $0.24 to $25.76, and average weekly earnings increased by $4.23 to $1,002.06.

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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 January Employment Situation press release for details.

The statistical reference week for the household survey this month was the week of January 7-13, 2024.

Files detailing January's unemployment numbers are available below: