July 19, 2024
Virginia’s June’s Unemployment Rate remained unchanged at 2.7 percent
~ Labor Force Participation Rate decreased by 0.1 percentage points to 66.2 percent and Employment decreased by 1,786 to 4,452,426 ~
RICHMOND— Virginia Works – the Commonwealth’s Department of Workforce Development and Advancement – today announced that Virginia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in June remained unchanged at 2.7 percent, which is 0.1 percentage points above the rate from a year ago. According to household survey data in June, the labor force decreased by 4,155 to 4,574,821 as the number of unemployed residents decreased by 2,369 to 122,395. The number of employed residents decreased by 1,786 to 4,452,426. Virginia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate is 1.4 percentage points below the national rate, which increased by 0.1 percentage points to 4.1 percent.
The Commonwealth’s labor force participation rate decreased by 0.1 percentage points to 66.2 percent in June. 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 June, Virginia’s nonagricultural employment, from the monthly establishment survey increased by 15,000 to 4,260,900. May’s preliminary estimate of employment, after revision, increased by 400 to 4,245,900. In June, private sector employment increased by 11,600 to 3,505,400 while government employment increased by 3,400 to 755,500. Within that sector, federal government jobs decreased by 400 to 192,300, state government employment increased by 1,500 to 164,300, and local government increased by 2,300 to 398,900 over the month.
Seasonally adjusted total nonfarm employment data is produced for eleven industry sectors. In June, seven experienced over-the-month job gains, two remained unchanged, and two experienced a decline. The largest job gain occurred in Professional and Business Services (+6,500) to 821,900. The second largest job gain occurred in Government (+3,400) to 755,500. The third largest job gain occurred in Education and Health Services (+2,900) to 610,000. The other gains were in Construction (+1,300) to 224,900; Information (+1,100) to 71,700; Miscellaneous Services (+100) to 204,700; and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (+100) to 678,500.
The largest job loss occurred in Financial Activities (-300) to 221,600. The second largest job loss occurred in Manufacturing (-100) to 250,000.
Leisure and Hospitality as well as Mining and Logging remained unchanged.
Nonfarm Employment in Virginia*
Seasonally Adjusted
Industry | Employment | May 2024 to | June 2023 to | ||||
June | May | June | Change | % Change | Change | % Change | |
Total Nonfarm | 4,260,900 | 4,245,900 | 4,174,100 | 15,000 | 0.4% | 86,800 | 2.1% |
Total Private | 3,505,400 | 3,493,800 | 3,441,200 | 11,600 | 0.3% | 64,200 | 1.9% |
Goods Producing | 482,200 | 481,000 | 468,100 | 1,200 | 0.2% | 14,100 | 3.0% |
Mining and Logging | 7,300 | 7,300 | 7,300 | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 0.0% |
Construction | 224,900 | 223,600 | 214,200 | 1,300 | 0.6% | 10,700 | 5.0% |
Manufacturing | 250,000 | 250,100 | 246,600 | -100 | -0.0% | 3,400 | 1.4% |
Service-Providing | 3,778,700 | 3,764,900 | 3,706,000 | 13,800 | 0.4% | 72,700 | 2.0% |
Private Service Providing | 3,023,200 | 3,012,800 | 2,973,100 | 10,400 | 0.3% | 50,100 | 1.7% |
Trade, Transportation, and Utilities | 678,500 | 678,400 | 674,300 | 100 | 0.0% | 4,200 | 0.6% |
Information | 71,700 | 70,600 | 70,500 | 1,100 | 1.6% | 1,200 | 1.7% |
Financial Activities | 221,600 | 221,900 | 222,400 | -300 | -0.1% | -800 | -0.4% |
Professional and Business Services | 821,900 | 815,400 | 812,500 | 6,500 | 0.8% | 9,400 | 1.2% |
Education and Health Services | 610,000 | 607,100 | 581,600 | 2,900 | 0.5% | 28,400 | 4.9% |
Leisure and Hospitality | 414,800 | 414,800 | 412,400 | 0 | 0.0% | 2,400 | 0.6% |
Miscellaneous Services | 204,700 | 204,600 | 199,400 | 100 | 0.0% | 5,300 | 2.7% |
Government | 755,500 | 752,100 | 732,900 | 3,400 | 0.5% | 22,600 | 3.1% |
Federal Government | 192,300 | 192,700 | 189,200 | -400 | -0.2% | 3,100 | 1.6% |
State Government | 164,300 | 162,800 | 152,900 | 1,500 | 0.9% | 11,400 | 7.5% |
Local Government | 398,900 | 396,600 | 390,800 | 2,300 | 0.6% | 8,100 | 2.1% |
*Current month's estimates are preliminary.
From June 2023 to June 2024, Virginia Works estimates that total nonfarm employment in Virginia increased by 86,800 to 4,260,900, private sector employment increased by 64,200 to 3,505,400, and government employment increased by 22,600 to 755,500 jobs. Within that sector, federal government jobs increased by 3,100 to 192,300, state government employment increased by 11,400 to 164,300, and local government increased by 8,100 to 398,900 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 (+28,400) to 610,000. The second largest job gain occurred in Government (+22,600) to 755,500. The third largest job gain occurred in Construction (+10,700) to 224,900. The other gains were in Professional and Business Services (+9,400) to 821,900; Miscellaneous Services (+5,300) to 204,700; Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (+4,200) to 678,500; Manufacturing (+3,400) to 250,000; Leisure and Hospitality (+2,400) to 414,800; and Information (+1,200) to 71,700.
The only job loss occurred in Financial Activities (-800) to 221,600. Mining and Logging remained unchanged.
Total Nonfarm Employment in Virginia*
Seasonally Adjusted
Area | Employment | May 2024 to | June 2023 to | ||||
June | May | June | Change | % Change | Change | % Change | |
Virginia | 4,260,900 | 4,245,900 | 4,174,100 | 15,000 | 0.4% | 86,800 | 2.1% |
Blacksburg-Christiansburg- | 85,600 | 85,400 | 82,100 | 200 | 0.2% | 3,500 | 4.3% |
Charlottesville MSA | 128,600 | 127,900 | 123,300 | 700 | 0.5% | 5,300 | 4.3% |
Harrisonburg MSA | 73,600 | 73,400 | 71,300 | 200 | 0.3% | 2,300 | 3.2% |
Lynchburg MSA | 106,300 | 106,200 | 104,200 | 100 | 0.1% | 2,100 | 2.0% |
Northern Virginia MSA | 1,606,600 | 1,601,300 | 1,578,000 | 5,300 | 0.3% | 28,600 | 1.8% |
Richmond MSA | 726,600 | 725,200 | 714,300 | 1,400 | 0.2% | 12,300 | 1.7% |
Roanoke MSA | 169,600 | 168,700 | 165,700 | 900 | 0.5% | 3,900 | 2.4% |
Staunton MSA | 54,100 | 53,900 | 53,800 | 200 | 0.4% | 300 | 0.6% |
Virginia Beach-Norfolk- | 824,100 | 822,200 | 807,100 | 1,900 | 0.2% | 17,000 | 2.1% |
Winchester MSA | 73,300 | 73,100 | 71,800 | 200 | 0.3% | 1,500 | 2.1% |
*Current month's estimates are preliminary.
Seasonally adjusted total nonfarm employment data is produced for ten metropolitan areas. In June, all experienced over-the-month job gains, and none experienced a decline. The largest job gain occurred in Northern Virginia (+5,300) to 1,606,600. The second largest job gain occurred in Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News (+1,900) to 824,100. The third largest job gain occurred in Richmond (+1,400) to 726,600. The other gains were in Roanoke (+900) to 169,600; Charlottesville (+700) to 128,600; Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford (+200) to 85,600; Harrisonburg (+200) to 73,600; Staunton (+200) to 54,100; Winchester (+200) to 73,300; and Lynchburg (+100) to 106,300.
Over the year, all metropolitan areas experienced over-the-year job gains, and none experienced a decline. The largest job gain occurred in Northern Virginia (+28,600) to 1,606,600. The second largest job gain occurred in Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News (+17,000) to 824,100. The third largest job gain occurred in Richmond (+12,300) to 726,600. The other gains were in Charlottesville (+5,300) to 128,600; Roanoke (+3,900) to 169,600; Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford (+3,500) to 85,600; Harrisonburg (+2,300) to 73,600; Lynchburg (+2,100) to 106,300; Winchester (+1,500) to 73,300; and Staunton (+300) to 54,100.
Not Seasonally Adjusted Data
Virginia’s unadjusted unemployment rate increased by 0.3 percentage points to 3.0 percent in June. It has increased by 0.1 percentage points to 3.0 percent compared to last year. Compared to a year ago, the number of unemployed increased by 4,689 to 138,810, household employment increased by 5,901 to 4,460,542, and the labor force increased by 10,590 to 4,599,352. Virginia’s not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate is 1.3 percentage points below the national unadjusted rate, which increased by 0.6 percentage points to 4.3 percent.
Compared to last month, the June unadjusted workweek for Virginia’s 159,300 manufacturing production workers decreased by 0.2 to 39.2 hours. Average hourly earnings of private-sector production workers increased by $0.21 to $26.25, and average weekly earnings increased by $3.02 to $1,029.00.
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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 June Employment Situation press release for details.
The statistical reference week for the household survey this month was the week of June 9-15, 2024.
Virginia Works plans to release the June local area unemployment rates on Tuesday, July 30, 2024. The data will be available on our website www.VirginiaWorks.com. The July 2024 statewide unemployment rate and employment data for both the state and metropolitan areas are scheduled to be released on Friday, August 16, 2024.
Files detailing June's unemployment numbers are available below:
