May 17, 2024
Virginia’s April’s Unemployment Rate Decreased 0.1 percentage points to 2.8 Percent; Labor Force Participation Rate Decreased 0.1 percentage points to 66.4 Percent and Employment Increased by 517 to 4,455,081
RICHMOND— Virginia Works today announced that Virginia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in April decreased by 0.1 percentage points to 2.8 percent, which is 0.1 percentage points above the rate from a year ago. According to household survey data in April, the labor force decreased by 4,375 to 4,584,350 as the number of unemployed residents decreased by 4,892 to 129,269. The number of employed residents increased by 517 to 4,455,081. Virginia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate is 1.1 percentage points below the national rate, which increased by 0.1 percentage points to 3.9 percent.
The Commonwealth’s labor force participation rate decreased by 0.1 percentage points to 66.4 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.
In April, Virginia’s nonagricultural employment, from the monthly establishment survey increased by 3,400 to 4,233,400. March’s preliminary estimate of employment, after revision, increased by 1,700 to 4,230,000. In April, private sector employment increased by 7,000 to 3,488,200 while government employment decreased by 3,600 to 745,200. Within that sector, federal government jobs decreased by 500 to 192,600, state government employment increased by 300 to 159,400, and local government decreased by 3,400 to 393,200 over the month.
Seasonally adjusted total nonfarm employment data is produced for eleven industry sectors. In April, nine experienced over-the-month job gains, and two experienced a decline. The largest job gain occurred in Education and Health Services (+2,500) to 602,100. The second largest job gain occurred in Professional and Business Services (+1,800) to 819,700. The third largest job gain occurred in Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (+1,700) to 678,900. The other gains were in Miscellaneous Services (+1,300) to 202,800; Manufacturing (+1,100) to 250,800; Financial Activities (+500) to 221,600; Information (+400) to 70,100; Construction (+200) to 222,200; and Mining and Logging (+100) to 7,300.
The largest job loss occurred in Government (-3,600) to 745,200. The second largest job loss occurred in Leisure and Hospitality (-2,600) to 412,700.
Nonfarm Employment in Virginia*
Seasonally Adjusted
Industry | Employment | March 2024 to | April 2023 to | ||||
April | March | April | Change | % Change | Change | % Change | |
Total Nonfarm | 4,233,400 | 4,230,000 | 4,156,600 | 3,400 | 0.1% | 76,800 | 1.8% |
Total Private | 3,488,200 | 3,481,200 | 3,426,100 | 7,000 | 0.2% | 62,100 | 1.8% |
Goods Producing | 480,300 | 478,900 | 467,000 | 1,400 | 0.3% | 13,300 | 2.8% |
Mining and Logging | 7,300 | 7,200 | 7,300 | 100 | 1.4% | 0 | 0.0% |
Construction | 222,200 | 222,000 | 214,000 | 200 | 0.1% | 8,200 | 3.8% |
Manufacturing | 250,800 | 249,700 | 245,700 | 1,100 | 0.4% | 5,100 | 2.1% |
Service-Providing | 3,753,100 | 3,751,100 | 3,689,600 | 2,000 | 0.1% | 63,500 | 1.7% |
Private Service Providing | 3,007,900 | 3,002,300 | 2,959,100 | 5,600 | 0.2% | 48,800 | 1.6% |
Trade, Transportation, and Utilities | 678,900 | 677,200 | 673,000 | 1,700 | 0.3% | 5,900 | 0.9% |
Information | 70,100 | 69,700 | 71,000 | 400 | 0.6% | -900 | -1.3% |
Financial Activities | 221,600 | 221,100 | 220,800 | 500 | 0.2% | 800 | 0.4% |
Professional and Business Services | 819,700 | 817,900 | 811,000 | 1,800 | 0.2% | 8,700 | 1.1% |
Education and Health Services | 602,100 | 599,600 | 576,600 | 2,500 | 0.4% | 25,500 | 4.4% |
Leisure and Hospitality | 412,700 | 415,300 | 408,400 | -2,600 | -0.6% | 4,300 | 1.1% |
Miscellaneous Services | 202,800 | 201,500 | 198,300 | 1,300 | 0.6% | 4,500 | 2.3% |
Government | 745,200 | 748,800 | 730,500 | -3,600 | -0.5% | 14,700 | 2.0% |
Federal Government | 192,600 | 193,100 | 188,600 | -500 | -0.3% | 4,000 | 2.1% |
State Government | 159,400 | 159,100 | 153,100 | 300 | 0.2% | 6,300 | 4.1% |
Local Government | 393,200 | 396,600 | 388,800 | -3,400 | -0.9% | 4,400 | 1.1% |
*Current month's estimates are preliminary.
From April 2023 to April 2024, Virginia Works estimates that total nonfarm employment in Virginia increased by 76,800 to 4,233,400, private sector employment increased by 62,100 to 3,488,200, and government employment increased by 14,700 to 745,200 jobs. Within that sector, federal government jobs increased by 4,000 to 192,600, state government employment increased by 6,300 to 159,400, and local government increased by 4,400 to 393,200 over the year.
For the eleven industry sectors in Virginia over the year, nine experienced over-the-year job gains, one remained unchanged, and one experienced a decline. The largest job gain occurred in Education and Health Services (+25,500) to 602,100. The second largest job gain occurred in Government (+14,700) to 745,200. The third largest job gain occurred in Professional and Business Services (+8,700) to 819,700. The other gains were in Construction (+8,200) to 222,200; Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (+5,900) to 678,900; Manufacturing (+5,100) to 250,800; Miscellaneous Services (+4,500) to 202,800; Leisure and Hospitality (+4,300) to 412,700; and Financial Activities (+800) to 221,600.
The only job loss occurred in Information (-900) to 70,100. Mining and Logging remained unchanged.
Total Nonfarm Employment in Virginia*
Seasonally Adjusted
Area | Employment | March 2024 to | April 2023 to | ||||
April | March | April | Change | % Change | Change | % Change | |
Virginia | 4,233,400 | 4,230,000 | 4,156,600 | 3,400 | 0.1% | 76,800 | 1.8% |
Blacksburg-Christiansburg- | 86,300 | 86,000 | 82,300 | 300 | 0.3% | 4,000 | 4.9% |
Charlottesville MSA | 126,800 | 126,900 | 122,700 | -100 | -0.1% | 4,100 | 3.3% |
Harrisonburg MSA | 73,100 | 72,900 | 71,300 | 200 | 0.3% | 1,800 | 2.5% |
Lynchburg MSA | 106,200 | 106,300 | 104,300 | -100 | -0.1% | 1,900 | 1.8% |
Northern Virginia MSA | 1,591,600 | 1,587,900 | 1,572,400 | 3,700 | 0.2% | 19,200 | 1.2% |
Richmond MSA | 723,700 | 723,000 | 711,400 | 700 | 0.1% | 12,300 | 1.7% |
Roanoke MSA | 168,300 | 168,600 | 164,500 | -300 | -0.2% | 3,800 | 2.3% |
Staunton MSA | 54,000 | 54,000 | 53,800 | 0 | 0.0% | 200 | 0.4% |
Virginia Beach-Norfolk- | 820,200 | 822,000 | 804,600 | -1,800 | -0.2% | 15,600 | 1.9% |
Winchester MSA | 72,800 | 72,700 | 71,400 | 100 | 0.1% | 1,400 | 2.0% |
*Current month's estimates are preliminary.
Seasonally adjusted total nonfarm employment data is produced for ten metropolitan areas. In April, five experienced over-the-month job gains, one remained unchanged, and four experienced a decline. The largest job gain occurred in Northern Virginia (+3,700) to 1,591,600. The second largest job gain occurred in Richmond (+700) to 723,700. The third largest job gain occurred in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford (+300) to 86,300. The other gains were in Harrisonburg (+200) to 73,100; and Winchester (+100) to 72,800.
The largest job loss occurred in Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News (-1,800) to 820,200. The second largest job loss occurred in Roanoke (-300) to 168,300. The third largest job loss occurred in Charlottesville (-100) to 126,800. The other loss was in Lynchburg (-100) to 106,200. Staunton 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 (+19,200) to 1,591,600. The second largest job gain occurred in Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News (+15,600) to 820,200. The third largest job gain occurred in Richmond (+12,300) to 723,700. The other gains were in Charlottesville (+4,100) to 126,800; Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford (+4,000) to 86,300; Roanoke (+3,800) to 168,300; Lynchburg (+1,900) to 106,200; Harrisonburg (+1,800) to 73,100; Winchester (+1,400) to 72,800; and Staunton (+200) to 54,000.
Not Seasonally Adjusted Data
Virginia’s unadjusted unemployment rate decreased by 0.1 percentage points to 2.3 percent in April. It has decreased by 0.1 percentage points to 2.3 percent compared to last year. Compared to a year ago, the number of unemployed decreased by 3,436 to 105,141, household employment increased by 22,581 to 4,459,446, and the labor force increased by 19,145 to 4,564,587. Virginia’s not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate is 1.2 percentage points below the national unadjusted rate, which decreased by 0.4 percentage points to 3.5 percent.
Compared to last month, the April unadjusted workweek for Virginia’s 159,400 manufacturing production workers increased by 0.2 to 39.8 hours. Average hourly earnings of private-sector production workers decreased by $0.32 to $25.41, and average weekly earnings decreased by $7.59 to $1,011.32.
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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 March Employment Situation press release for details.
The statistical reference week for the household survey this month was the week of April 7-13, 2024.
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 Employment Situation press release for details.
Files detailing April's unemployment numbers are available below:
