Virginia’s June Employment Estimate Increased, Payrolls Add 600 Jobs in July

August 19, 2025

RICHMOND— Virginia Works – the Commonwealth’s Department of Workforce Development and Advancement – announced today that Virginia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in July increased by 0.1 percentage points to 3.6 percent, which is 0.8 percentage points above the rate from a year ago and 0.6 percentage points below the national rate, which increased by 0.1 percentage points to 4.2 percent. According to Local Area Unemployment Statistics (“the household survey”), the labor force decreased by 6,121 in July to 4,552,304 and the number of employed residents decreased by 8,380 to 4,389,741, as the number of unemployed residents increased by 2,259 to 162,563.

The Commonwealth’s labor force participation rate decreased by 0.1 percentage points to 64.9 percent in July. 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 July’s Current Employment Statistics Survey, Virginia’s nonagricultural employment increased by 600 to 4,271,700. June’s preliminary estimate of employment, after revision, increased by 2,800 to 4,271,100. In July, private sector employment decreased by 3,600 to 3,507,000 while government employment increased by 4,200 to 764,700. Within that sector, federal government jobs increased by 1,400 to 187,200, state government employment increased by 1,600 to 165,400, and local government increased by 1,200 to 412,100 over the month.

Seasonally adjusted total nonfarm employment data is produced for eleven industry sectors. In July, five experienced over-the-month job gains, and six experienced a decline. The largest job gain occurred in Government (+4,200) to 764,700. The second largest job gain occurred in Education and Health Services (+1,400) to 633,300. The third largest job gain occurred in Leisure and Hospitality (+600) to 417,100. The other gains were in Construction (+500) to 229,500 and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (+500) to 680,100.
The largest job loss occurred in Miscellaneous Services (-2,000) to 205,900. The second largest job loss occurred in Manufacturing (-1,900) to 239,500. The third largest job loss occurred in Professional and Business Services (-1,700) to 804,200. The other losses were in Financial Activities (-600) to 220,300, Information (-300) to 70,100, and Mining and Logging (-100) to 7,000.

*Current month’s estimates are preliminary.

From July 2024 to July 2025, Virginia Works estimates that total nonfarm employment in Virginia increased by 35,400 to 4,271,700, private sector employment increased by 23,300 to 3,507,000, and government employment increased by 12,100 to 764,700 jobs. Within that sector, federal government jobs decreased by 6,500 to 187,200, state government employment increased by 5,600 to 165,400, and local government increased by 13,000 to 412,100 over the year.

For the eleven industry sectors in Virginia over the year, seven experienced over-the-year job gains, and four experienced a decline. The largest job gain occurred in Education and Health Services (+23,700) to 633,300. The second largest job gain occurred in Government (+12,100) to 764,700. The third largest job gain occurred in Construction (+10,100) to 229,500. The other gains were in Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (+2,800) to 680,100; Leisure and Hospitality (+1,600) to 417,100; Miscellaneous Services (+1,200) to 205,900; and Information (+100) to 70,100.
The largest job loss occurred in Professional and Business Services (-10,900) to 804,200. The second largest job loss occurred in Manufacturing (-4,100) to 239,500. The third largest job loss occurred in Financial Activities (-800) to 220,300. The other loss was in Mining and Logging (-400) to 7,000.

*Current month’s estimates are preliminary.

Seasonally adjusted total nonfarm employment data is produced for ten metropolitan areas. In July, six experienced over-the-month job gains, one remained unchanged, and three experienced a decline. The largest job gain occurred in Harrisonburg (+400) to 71,800. The second largest job gain occurred in Richmond (+300) to 733,500. The third largest job gain occurred in Charlottesville (+200) to 125,600. The other gains were in Roanoke (+200) to 168,800, Arlington-Alexandria (+100) to 1,632,500, and Winchester (+100) to 74,300.
The largest job loss occurred in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk (-900) to 820,600. The second largest job loss occurred in Lynchburg (-300) to 104,700. The third largest job loss occurred in Staunton (-100) to 53,900. Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford remained unchanged.

Over the year, seven metro areas experienced over-the-year job gains, one remained unchanged, and two experienced a decline. The largest job gain occurred in Richmond (+12,100) to 733,500. The second largest job gain occurred in Arlington-Alexandria (+9,200) to 1,632,500. The third largest job gain occurred in Charlottesville (+1,300) to 125,600 and Roanoke (+1,300) to 168,800. The other gains were in Winchester (+1,300) to 74,300, Lynchburg (+800) to 104,700, and Staunton (+100) to 53,900.
The largest job loss occurred in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk (-1,100) to 820,600. The second largest job loss occurred in Harrisonburg (-200) to 71,800. Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford remained unchanged.

Not Seasonally Adjusted Data

Virginia’s unadjusted unemployment rate decreased by 0.1 percentage points to 3.8 percent in July. It has increased by 0.6 percentage points compared to last year. Compared to a year ago, the number of unemployed increased by 25,094 to 173,998, household employment decreased by 75,370 to 4,414,341, and the labor force decreased by 50,276 to 4,588,339. Virginia’s not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate is 0.8 percentage points below the national unadjusted rate, which increased by 0.2 percentage points to 4.6 percent.

Compared to last month, the July unadjusted workweek for Virginia’s 155,800 manufacturing production workers remained unchanged at 38.4 hours. Average hourly earnings of private-sector production workers decreased by $0.04 to $28.72, and average weekly earnings decreased by $1.53 to $1,102.85.

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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 July Employment Situation press release for details.

The statistical reference week for the household survey this month was the week of July 6-12, 2025

JUL 25 CES Distribution Publication File