RICHMOND— Virginia Works – the Commonwealth’s Department of Workforce Development and Advancement – today announced that Virginia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in November increased by 0.1 percentage points to 3.0 percent, which is 0.1 percentage points below the rate from a year ago. According to household survey data in November, the labor force increased by 3,327 to 4,578,676 as the number of unemployed residents increased by 3,431 to 137,033. The number of employed residents decreased by 104 to 4,441,643. Virginia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate is 1.2 percentage points below the national rate, which increased by 0.1 percentage points to 4.2 percent.
The Commonwealth’s labor force participation rate remained unchanged at 66.0 percent in November. 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 November, Virginia’s nonagricultural employment, from the monthly establishment survey increased by 5,300 to 4,260,100. October’s preliminary estimate of employment, after revision, increased by 4,500 to 4,254,800. In November, private sector employment increased by 4,400 to 3,506,300 while government employment increased by 900 to 753,800. Within that sector, federal government jobs decreased by 300 to 190,900, state government employment increased by 700 to 168,500, and local government increased by 500 to 394,400 over the month.
Seasonally adjusted total nonfarm employment data is produced for eleven industry sectors. In November, seven experienced over-the-month job gains, and four experienced a decline. The largest job gain occurred in Education and Health Services (+2,900) to 608,700. The second largest job gain occurred in Miscellaneous Services (+1,700) to 203,700. The third largest job gain occurred in Construction (+1,500) to 230,700. The other gains were in Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (+1,300) to 678,200; Government (+900) to 753,800; Information (+200) to 70,000; and Mining and Logging (+100) to 7,400.
The largest job loss occurred in Leisure and Hospitality (-1,200) to 422,400. The second largest job loss occurred in Financial Activities (-800) to 220,400. The third largest job loss occurred in Professional and Business Services (-700) to 816,800. The other loss was in Manufacturing (-600) to 248,000.
Nonfarm Employment in Virginia*
Seasonally Adjusted
| Industry | Employment | October 2024 to November 2024 | November 2023 to November 2024 | ||||
| November 2024 | October 2024 | November 2023 | Change | % Change | Change | % Change | |
| Total Nonfarm | 4,260,100 | 4,254,800 | 4,187,300 | 5,300 | 0.1% | 72,800 | 1.7% |
| Total Private | 3,506,300 | 3,501,900 | 3,447,100 | 4,400 | 0.1% | 59,200 | 1.7% |
| Goods Producing | 486,100 | 485,100 | 471,800 | 1,000 | 0.2% | 14,300 | 3.0% |
| Mining and Logging | 7,400 | 7,300 | 7,300 | 100 | 1.4% | 100 | 1.4% |
| Construction | 230,700 | 229,200 | 217,900 | 1,500 | 0.7% | 12,800 | 5.9% |
| Manufacturing | 248,000 | 248,600 | 246,600 | -600 | -0.2% | 1,400 | 0.6% |
| Service-Providing | 3,774,000 | 3,769,700 | 3,715,500 | 4,300 | 0.1% | 58,500 | 1.6% |
| Private Service Providing | 3,020,200 | 3,016,800 | 2,975,300 | 3,400 | 0.1% | 44,900 | 1.5% |
| Trade, Transportation, and Utilities | 678,200 | 676,900 | 674,500 | 1,300 | 0.2% | 3,700 | 0.5% |
| Information | 70,000 | 69,800 | 69,300 | 200 | 0.3% | 700 | 1.0% |
| Financial Activities | 220,400 | 221,200 | 222,200 | -800 | -0.4% | -1,800 | -0.8% |
| Professional and Business Services | 816,800 | 817,500 | 801,600 | -700 | -0.1% | 15,200 | 1.9% |
| Education and Health Services | 608,700 | 605,800 | 589,800 | 2,900 | 0.5% | 18,900 | 3.2% |
| Leisure and Hospitality | 422,400 | 423,600 | 416,600 | -1,200 | -0.3% | 5,800 | 1.4% |
| Miscellaneous Services | 203,700 | 202,000 | 201,300 | 1,700 | 0.8% | 2,400 | 1.2% |
| Government | 753,800 | 752,900 | 740,200 | 900 | 0.1% | 13,600 | 1.8% |
| Federal Government | 190,900 | 191,200 | 190,100 | -300 | -0.2% | 800 | 0.4% |
| State Government | 168,500 | 167,800 | 157,300 | 700 | 0.4% | 11,200 | 7.1% |
| Local Government | 394,400 | 393,900 | 392,800 | 500 | 0.1% | 1,600 | 0.4% |
*Current month’s estimates are preliminary.
From November 2023 to November 2024, Virginia Works estimates that total nonfarm employment in Virginia increased by 72,800 to 4,260,100, private sector employment increased by 59,200 to 3,506,300, and government employment increased by 13,600 to 753,800 jobs. Within that sector, federal government jobs increased by 800 to 190,900, state government employment increased by 11,200 to 168,500, and local government increased by 1,600 to 394,400 over the year.
For the eleven industry sectors in Virginia over the year, ten experienced over-the-year job gains, and one experienced a decline. The largest job gain occurred in Education and Health Services (+18,900) to 608,700. The second largest job gain occurred in Professional and Business Services (+15,200) to 816,800. The third largest job gain occurred in Government (+13,600) to 753,800. The other gains were in Construction (+12,800) to 230,700; Leisure and Hospitality (+5,800) to 422,400; Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (+3,700) to 678,200; Miscellaneous Services (+2,400) to 203,700; Manufacturing (+1,400) to 248,000; Information (+700) to 70,000; and Mining and Logging (+100) to 7,400.
The only job loss occurred in Financial Activities (-1,800) to 220,400.
Total Nonfarm Employment in Virginia*
Seasonally Adjusted
| Area | Employment | October 2024 to November 2024 | November 2023 to November 2024 | ||||
| November 2024 | October 2024 | November 2023 | Change | % Change | Change | % Change | |
| Virginia | 4,260,100 | 4,254,800 | 4,187,300 | 5,300 | 0.1% | 72,800 | 1.7% |
| Blacksburg-Christiansburg- Radford MSA | 84,300 | 85,000 | 84,900 | -700 | -0.8% | -600 | -0.7% |
| Charlottesville MSA | 129,000 | 128,500 | 125,100 | 500 | 0.4% | 3,900 | 3.1% |
| Harrisonburg MSA | 72,800 | 72,800 | 71,900 | 0 | 0.0% | 900 | 1.3% |
| Lynchburg MSA | 105,700 | 105,300 | 104,600 | 400 | 0.4% | 1,100 | 1.1% |
| Northern Virginia MSA | 1,601,100 | 1,600,400 | 1,576,200 | 700 | 0.0% | 24,900 | 1.6% |
| Richmond MSA | 737,700 | 734,800 | 713,900 | 2,900 | 0.4% | 23,800 | 3.3% |
| Roanoke MSA | 168,900 | 168,900 | 166,800 | 0 | 0.0% | 2,100 | 1.3% |
| Staunton MSA | 54,100 | 54,000 | 53,800 | 100 | 0.2% | 300 | 0.6% |
| Virginia Beach-Norfolk- Newport News MSA | 826,700 | 826,300 | 812,900 | 400 | 0.0% | 13,800 | 1.7% |
| Winchester MSA | 73,200 | 72,700 | 72,400 | 500 | 0.7% | 800 | 1.1% |
*Current month’s estimates are preliminary.
Seasonally adjusted total nonfarm employment data is produced for ten metropolitan areas. In November, seven experienced over-the-month job gains, two remained unchanged, and one experienced a decline. The largest job gain occurred in Richmond (+2,900) to 737,700. The second largest job gain occurred in Northern Virginia (+700) to 1,601,100. The third largest job gain occurred in Charlottesville (+500) to 129,000. The other gains were in Winchester (+500) to 73,200; Lynchburg (+400) to 105,700; Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News (+400) to 826,700; and Staunton (+100) to 54,100.
The only job loss occurred in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford (-700) to 84,300. Harrisonburg and Roanoke remained unchanged.
Over the year, nine metro areas experienced over-the-year job gains, and one experienced a decline. The largest job gain occurred in Northern Virginia (+24,900) to 1,601,100. The second largest job gain occurred in Richmond (+23,800) to 737,700. The third largest job gain occurred in Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News (+13,800) to 826,700. The other gains were in Charlottesville (+3,900) to 129,000; Roanoke (+2,100) to 168,900; Lynchburg (+1,100) to 105,700; Harrisonburg (+900) to 72,800; Winchester (+800) to 73,200; and Staunton (+300) to 54,100.
The only job loss occurred in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford (-600) to 84,300.
Not Seasonally Adjusted Data
Virginia’s unadjusted unemployment rate increased by 0.1 percentage points to 3.0 percent in November. 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 3,069 to 134,337, household employment decreased by 19,266 to 4,416,167, and the labor force decreased by 16,197 to 4,550,504. Virginia’s not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate is 1.0 percentage points below the national unadjusted rate, which increased by 0.1 percentage points to 4.0 percent.
Compared to last month, the November unadjusted workweek for Virginia’s 159,800 manufacturing production workers increased by 0.2 to 39.5 hours. Average hourly earnings of private-sector production workers increased by $0.20 to $26.98, and average weekly earnings increased by $13.26 to $1,065.71.
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 November 10-16, 2024
Virginia Works plans to release the November local area unemployment rates on Friday January 03, 2025. The data will be available on our website www.VirginiaWorks.com. The December 2024 statewide unemployment rate and employment data for both the state and metropolitan areas are scheduled to be released on Tuesday January 28, 2025.
Files detailing November’s unemployment numbers are available below:
