Virginia Works Releases June Employment Data

July 18, 2025

RICHMOND— Virginia Works – the Commonwealth’s Department of Workforce Development and Advancement – announced today that Virginia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in June increased by 0.1 percentage points to 3.5 percent, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS) household survey data. The labor force decreased by 10,116 to 4,558,145 as the number of unemployed residents increased by 4,025 to 160,116. The number of employed residents decreased by 14,141 to 4,398,029 according to the Local Area Unemployment Statistics (“the household survey”). Virginia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate is 0.6 percentage points below the national rate, which decreased by 0.1 percentage points to 4.1 percent.

The Commonwealth’s labor force participation rate decreased by 0.2 percentage points to 65.0 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’s Current Employment Statistics Survey, Virginia’s nonagricultural employment decreased by 8,400 to 4,268,300. May’s preliminary estimate of employment, after revision, increased by 600 to 4,276,700. In June, private sector employment decreased by 8,200 to 3,510,200 while government employment decreased by 200 to 758,100. Within that sector, federal government jobs decreased by 2,500 to 185,500, state government employment increased by 2,200 to 162,700, and local government increased by 100 to 409,900 over the month.

Seasonally adjusted total nonfarm employment data is produced for eleven industry sectors. In June, one experienced over-the-month job gains, one remained unchanged, and nine experienced a decline. The only job gain occurred in Construction (+1,700) to 228,900.

The largest job loss occurred in Professional and Business Services (-3,500) to 806,900. The second largest job loss occurred in Education and Health Services (-2,200) to 630,700. The third largest job loss occurred in Leisure and Hospitality (-1,500) to 417,300. The other losses were in Miscellaneous Services (-1,200) to 206,300; Manufacturing (-700) to 241,300; Financial Activities (-500) to 220,800; Government (-200) to 758,100; Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-200) to 680,600; and Information (-100) to 70,300.
Mining and Logging remained unchanged.

*Current month’s estimates are preliminary.

From June 2024 to June 2025, Virginia Works estimates that total nonfarm employment in Virginia increased by 35,600 to 4,268,300, private sector employment increased by 28,100 to 3,510,200, and government employment increased by 7,500 to 758,100 jobs. Within that sector, federal government jobs decreased by 7,800 to 185,500, state government employment increased by 5,300 to 162,700, and local government increased by 10,000 to 409,900 over the year.

For the eleven industry sectors in Virginia over the year, six experienced over-the-year job gains, one remained unchanged, and four experienced a decline. The largest job gain occurred in Education and Health Services (+23,100) to 630,700. The second largest job gain occurred in Construction (+9,600) to 228,900. The third largest job gain occurred in Government (+7,500) to 758,100. The other gains were in Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (+3,400) to 680,600; Miscellaneous Services (+1,700) to 206,300; and Leisure and Hospitality (+700) to 417,300.

The largest job loss occurred in Professional and Business Services (-6,900) to 806,900. The second largest job loss occurred in Manufacturing (-3,200) to 241,300. The third largest job loss occurred in Mining and Logging (-200) to 7,100. The other loss was in Financial Activities (-100) to 220,800. Information remained unchanged.

*Current month’s estimates are preliminary.

Seasonally adjusted total nonfarm employment data is produced for ten metropolitan areas. In June, three experienced over-the-month job gains, and seven experienced a decline. The largest job gain occurred in both Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford (+400) to 82,700 and Roanoke (+400) to 168,300. The third largest job gain occurred in Harrisonburg (+300) to 71,200.

The largest job loss occurred in Arlington-Alexandria (-4,700) to 1,633,300. The second largest job loss occurred in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk (-2,600) to 819,700. The third largest job loss occurred in Richmond (-1,100) to 731,400. The other losses were in Lynchburg (-400) to 104,700; Staunton (-200) to 54,000; Winchester (-200) to 74,200; and Charlottesville (-100) to 125,400.

Over the year, six metro areas experienced over-the-year job gains, and four experienced a decline. The largest job gain occurred in Arlington-Alexandria (+15,000) to 1,633,300. The second largest job gain occurred in Richmond (+12,500) to 731,400. The third largest job gain occurred in both Roanoke (+1,300) to 168,300 and Winchester (+1,300) to 74,200. The other gains were in Charlottesville (+1,200) to 125,400 and Lynchburg (+700) to 104,700.

The largest job loss occurred in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk (-1,900) to 819,700. The second largest job loss occurred in Harrisonburg (-600) to 71,200. The third largest job loss occurred in both Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford (-200) to 82,700 and Staunton (-200) to 54,000.

Not Seasonally Adjusted Data

Virginia’s unadjusted unemployment rate increased by 0.3 percentage points to 3.9 percent in June. It has increased by 0.8 percentage points compared to last year. Compared to a year ago, the number of unemployed increased by 35,475 to 176,958, household employment decreased by 89,957 to 4,389,951, and the labor force decreased by 54,482 to 4,566,909. Virginia’s not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate is 0.5 percentage points below the national unadjusted rate, which increased by 0.4 percentage points to 4.4 percent.

Compared to last month, the June unadjusted workweek for Virginia’s 155,800 manufacturing production workers increased by 0.3 to 38.3 hours. Average hourly earnings of private-sector production workers increased by $0.50 to $28.78, and average weekly earnings increased by $27.63 to $1,102.27.

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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 8-14, 2025

Jun 25 CES Distribution Publication File