Virginia’s February Unemployment Rate at 3.1 percent; Labor Force Participation Rate at 65.7 percent

RICHMOND— Virginia Works – the Commonwealth’s Department of Workforce Development and Advancement – announced today that Virginia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in February increased slightly by 0.1 percentage points to 3.1 percent, which is 0.3 percentage points above the rate from a year ago. According to household survey data in February, the labor force decreased by 5,056 to 4,596,005 as the number of unemployed residents increased by 3,154 to 140,211. The number of employed residents decreased by 8,210 to 4,455,794. Virginia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate is 1.0 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 65.7 percent in February. 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 February, Virginia’s nonagricultural employment, from the monthly establishment survey decreased by 1,000 to 4,266,100. January’s preliminary estimate of employment, after revision, decreased by 13,900 to 4,267,100. In February, private sector employment decreased by 200 to 3,500,600 while government employment decreased by 800 to 765,500. Within that sector, federal government jobs decreased by 600 to 196,100, state government employment decreased by 1,400 to 160,800, and local government increased by 1,200 to 408,600 over the month.

Seasonally adjusted total nonfarm employment data is produced for eleven industry sectors. In February, six experienced over-the-month job gains, and five experienced a decline. The largest job gain occurred in Construction (+4,200) to 218,800. The second largest job gain occurred in Education and Health Services (+2,100) to 631,100. The third largest job gain occurred in Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (+2,000) to 677,900. The other gains were in Manufacturing (+1,000) to 242,400; Miscellaneous Services (+300) to 204,800; and Financial Activities (+200) to 220,400.

The largest job loss occurred in Professional and Business Services (-6,300) to 810,700. The second largest job loss occurred in Leisure and Hospitality (-2,400) to 416,900. The third largest job loss occurred in Information (-1,200) to 70,500. The other losses were in Government (-800) to 765,500; and Mining and Logging (-100) to 7,100.

Nonfarm Employment in Virginia* Seasonally Adjusted

Industry	Employment			January 2025 to February 2025		February 2024 to February 2025
Industry	February 2025	January 2025	February 2024	Change	% Change	Change	% Change
Total Nonfarm	4,266,100	4,267,100	4,212,000	-1,000	-0.0%	54,100	1.3%
Total Private	3,500,600	3,500,800	3,462,600	-200	-0.0%	38,000	1.1%
Goods Producing	468,300	463,200	469,100	5,100	1.1%	-800	-0.2%
Mining and Logging	7,100	7,200	7,300	-100	-1.4%	-200	-2.7%
Construction	218,800	214,600	217,000	4,200	2.0%	1,800	0.8%
Manufacturing	242,400	241,400	244,800	1,000	0.4%	-2,400	-1.0%
Service-Providing	3,797,800	3,803,900	3,742,900	-6,100	-0.2%	54,900	1.5%
Private Service Providing	3,032,300	3,037,600	2,993,500	-5,300	-0.2%	38,800	1.3%
Trade, Transportation, and Utilities	677,900	675,900	675,500	2,000	0.3%	2,400	0.4%
Information	70,500	71,700	69,900	-1,200	-1.7%	600	0.9%
Financial Activities	220,400	220,200	220,900	200	0.1%	-500	-0.2%
Professional and Business Services	810,700	817,000	808,800	-6,300	-0.8%	1,900	0.2%
Education and Health Services	631,100	629,000	599,100	2,100	0.3%	32,000	5.3%
Leisure and Hospitality	416,900	419,300	415,500	-2,400	-0.6%	1,400	0.3%
Miscellaneous Services	204,800	204,500	203,800	300	0.1%	1,000	0.5%
Government	765,500	766,300	749,400	-800	-0.1%	16,100	2.1%
Federal Government	196,100	196,700	192,300	-600	-0.3%	3,800	2.0%
State Government	160,800	162,200	159,200	-1,400	-0.9%	1,600	1.0%
Local Government	408,600	407,400	397,900	1,200	0.3%	10,700	2.7%

*Current month’s estimates are preliminary.

From February 2024 to February 2025, Virginia Works estimates that total nonfarm employment in Virginia increased by 54,100 to 4,266,100, private sector employment increased by 38,000 to 3,500,600, and government employment increased by 16,100 to 765,500 jobs. Within that sector, federal government jobs increased by 3,800 to 196,100, state government employment increased by 1,600 to 160,800, and local government increased by 10,700 to 408,600 over the year.

For the eleven industry sectors in Virginia over the year, eight experienced over-the-year job gains, and three experienced a decline. The largest job gain occurred in Education and Health Services (+32,000) to 631,100. The second largest job gain occurred in Government (+16,100) to 765,500. The third largest job gain occurred in Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (+2,400) to 677,900. The other gains were in Professional and Business Services (+1,900) to 810,700; Construction (+1,800) to 218,800; Leisure and Hospitality (+1,400) to 416,900; Miscellaneous Services (+1,000) to 204,800; and Information (+600) to 70,500.

The largest job loss occurred in Manufacturing (-2,400) to 242,400. The second largest job loss occurred in Financial Activities (-500) to 220,400. The third largest job loss occurred in Mining and Logging (-200) to 7,100.

Nonfarm Employment in Virginia* Seasonally Adjusted

Area	Employment			January 2025 to February 2025		February 2024 to February 2025
Area	February 2025	January 2025	February 2024	Change	% Change	Change	% Change
Virginia	4,266,100	4,267,100	4,212,000	-1,000	-0.0%	54,100	1.3%
Arlington-Alexandria MSA	1,633,700	1,633,000	1,608,100	700	0.0%	25,600	1.6%
Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford MSA	81,700	82,700	83,800	-1,000	-1.2%	-2,100	-2.5%
Charlottesville MSA	125,800	125,700	123,300	100	0.1%	2,500	2.0%
Harrisonburg MSA	71,000	71,700	72,000	-700	-1.0%	-1,000	-1.4%
Lynchburg MSA	104,200	104,500	104,300	-300	-0.3%	-100	-0.1%
Richmond MSA	724,900	725,400	713,500	-500	-0.1%	11,400	1.6%
Roanoke MSA	167,900	168,200	166,800	-300	-0.2%	1,100	0.7%
Staunton MSA	54,100	54,100	54,000	0	0.0%	100	0.2%
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk MSA	824,800	827,000	819,800	-2,200	-0.3%	5,000	0.6%
Winchester MSA	74,000	73,800	72,900	200	0.3%	1,100	1.5%

Seasonally adjusted total nonfarm employment data is produced for ten metropolitan areas. In February, three experienced over-the-month job gains, one remained unchanged, and six experienced a decline. The largest job gain occurred in Arlington-Alexandria (+700) to 1,633,700. The second largest job gain occurred in Winchester (+200) to 74,000. The third largest job gain occurred in Charlottesville (+100) to 125,800.

The largest job loss occurred in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk (-2,200) to 824,800. The second largest job loss occurred in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford (-1,000) to 81,700. The third largest job loss occurred in Harrisonburg (-700) to 71,000. The other losses were in Richmond (-500) to 724,900; Lynchburg (-300) to 104,200; and Roanoke (-300) to 167,900. Staunton remained unchanged.

Over the year, seven metro areas experienced over-the-year job gains, and three experienced a decline. The largest job gain occurred in Arlington-Alexandria (+25,600) to 1,633,700. The second largest job gain occurred in Richmond (+11,400) to 724,900. The third largest job gain occurred in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk (+5,000) to 824,800. The other gains were in Charlottesville (+2,500) to 125,800; Roanoke (+1,100) to 167,900; Winchester (+1,100) to 74,000; and Staunton (+100) to 54,100.

The largest job loss occurred in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford (-2,100) to 81,700. The second largest job loss occurred in Harrisonburg (-1,000) to 71,000. The third largest job loss occurred in Lynchburg (-100) to 104,200.

Not Seasonally Adjusted Data

Virginia’s unadjusted unemployment rate increased by 0.2 percentage points to 3.3 percent in February. It has increased by 0.4 percentage points to 3.3 percent compared to last year. Compared to a year ago, the number of unemployed increased by 19,485 to 150,248, household employment decreased by 27,538 to 4,403,442, and the labor force decreased by 8,053 to 4,553,690. Virginia’s not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate is 1.2 percentage points below the national unadjusted rate, which increased by 0.1 percentage points to 4.5 percent.

Compared to last month, the February unadjusted workweek for Virginia’s 155,800 manufacturing production workers decreased by 0.4 to 38.6 hours. Average hourly earnings of private-sector production workers increased by $0.31 to $28.40, and average weekly earnings increased by $0.73 to $1,096.24.

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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 February Employment Situation press release for details.

The statistical reference week for the household survey this month was the week of February 9-15, 2025

Virginia Works plans to release the February local area unemployment rates on Wednesday April 09, 2025. The data will be available on our website www.VirginiaWorks.com. The March 2025 statewide unemployment rate and employment data for both the state and metropolitan areas are scheduled to be released on Friday April 18, 2025.

Feb 25 CES Distribution Publication File

PDF of Press Release