Virginia’s Seasonally Adjusted Unemployment Rate Decreased to 4.9 Percent in November

RICHMOND— Virginia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell 0.3 percentage points in November to 4.9 percent, which is 2.2 percentage points above the rate from a year ago. According to household survey data in November, the labor force expanded by 16,323, or 0.4 percent, to 4,286,658, as the number of unemployed residents fell by 12,464. The number of employed residents increased by 28,787 to 4,078,503. Virginia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate continues to be below the national rate, which fell to 6.7 percent.

Virginia’s nonagricultural wage and salary employment, from the monthly establishment survey, rose by 8,100 jobs in November to 3,908,600. October’s preliminary estimates were revised upward 1,700, increasing that month’s job gains. In November, private sector employment increased by 13,800 jobs to 3,207,400, while public sector payrolls decreased by 5,700 jobs to 701,200.

From October 2020 to November 2020, seasonally adjusted employment increased in six major industry divisions, decreased in four, and held steady in finance at 210,800 jobs. The largest job gains during November occurred in professional and business services, with an increase of 6,800 jobs to 757,000. The second largest job gain was in education and health services, with an increase of 3,800 jobs to 527,400. Other employment gains included: construction (+3,400 jobs) to 215,400, leisure and hospitality (+2,000 jobs) to 348,100, trade and transportation (+900 jobs) to 653,600 and mining (+100 jobs) to 7,200. The largest job loss occurred in Government employment which dropped by 5,700 jobs in November. For total government, a gain occurred in state government (+600 jobs), with losses in federal government (-1,600 jobs) and local government (-4,700 jobs). Other employment losses included: manufacturing, (-600 jobs,) and information and miscellaneous services, both decreasing by (-1,300 jobs).

Nonfarm Employment in Virginia*
Seasonally Adjusted

*Current month’s estimates are preliminary.

From November 2019 to November 2020, the VEC estimates that establishments in Virginia lost 179,000 jobs, or 4.4 percent. In November, the private sector recorded an over-the-year loss of 140,800 jobs, while employment in the public sector lost 38,200 jobs.

Compared to a year ago, on a seasonally adjusted basis, ten out of eleven major industry divisions experienced employment declines, with one experiencing a gain. The only job gains occurred in construction, up 12,200 jobs (+6.0%).

The largest over-the-year job loss occurred in leisure and hospitality, down 66,800 jobs (-16.1%). The next largest job loss occurred in Government, down 38,200 jobs (-5.2%). Within government, federal experienced a small increase in employment (+2,500 jobs), while there were decreases in state government employment (-9,100 jobs) and local government employment (-31,600 jobs). Education and health services experienced the third largest over-the-year job loss of 32,700 jobs (-5.8%). Other losses were in: professional and business services, down 15,600 jobs (-2.0%); manufacturing, down 15,500 jobs (-6.3%);  miscellaneous services, down 8,900 jobs (-4.4%);  trade and transportation, down 5,400 jobs   (-0.8%); information, down 4,400 jobs (-6.3%); finance, down 3,100 jobs (-1.4%); and mining, down 600 jobs (-7.7%).

Total Nonfarm Employment in Virginia*

*Current month’s estimates are preliminary.

Seasonally adjusted total nonfarm employment data is produced for ten metropolitan areas. In November, eight metropolitan areas experienced over-the-month job gains, while Winchester with (-100 jobs) experienced the only job losses and Lynchburg held steady. The largest absolute job gain occurred in Richmond (+6,000 jobs). The second largest absolute job gain occurred in Charlottesville (+2,500 jobs). The third largest absolute job gain was in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford (+1,300 jobs). Other gains include: Roanoke and Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, both with (+900 jobs); Northern Virginia (+300 jobs); and Harrisonburg and Staunton-Waynesboro, both with (+200 jobs).

Over the year, seasonally adjusted total nonfarm employment decreased in nine of the ten metropolitan areas, with the only gain being in Staunton-Waynesboro, up 1,000 jobs (+1.9%). The Northern Virginia metropolitan area experienced the largest absolute job loss, down 73,400 jobs (-4.8%). Richmond ranked second, with a loss of 30,300 jobs (-4.4%). Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News ranked third with a decline of 25,100 jobs (-3.2%).

Not Seasonally Adjusted Data

Virginia’s unadjusted unemployment rate fell 0.4 percentage points in November to 4.6 percent, and was up 2.1 percentage points from a year ago. Compared to a year ago, the number of unemployed increased by 86,500, household employment decreased by 249,801, and the labor force decreased by 163,301. Virginia’s not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate continues to be below the national unadjusted rate, which fell by 0.2 percentage points in November to 6.4 percent.

Compared to last month, the November unadjusted workweek for Virginia’s 152,700 manufacturing production workers increased by 0.6 hours to 40.8 hours. Average hourly earnings of private-sector production workers held steady at $21.07 in November. Average weekly earnings rose $12.65 to $859.66.

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 October, refer to the BLS November 2020 Employment Situation press release for details.

The statistical reference week for the household survey this month was the week of November 8-14, 2020.

Files detailing November’s unemployment numbers are available below: