Local Area Unemployment Statistics, State and Area Employment, JOLTS · Virginia
How is the job market in Virginia?
The unemployment rate in Virginia was 3.6% in the month ended , against 4.2% for the United States.
Virginia, unemployment, each month
- Unemployment rate3.6%2.5% to 11.9%
- Participation rate62.7%62.7% to 66.1%
- Employment-population ratio60.5%56.2% to 64.4%
Virginia, people, each month
- Labor force, thousands4,461.24,262.9 to 4,555.4
- Employed, thousands4,301.63,790.0 to 4,431.9
- Unemployed, thousands159.6109.9 to 513.7
Virginia, jobs and pay, each month
- Nonfarm payrolls, thousands4,250.63,618.0 to 4,289.4
- Average hourly earnings$38.63$26.99 to $38.93
- Average weekly hours33.732.9 to 35.3
Virginia, openings and turnover rates, each month
- Job openings rate4.8%3.4% to 7.8%
- Hires rate3.1%2.2% to 7.3%
- Quits rate2.0%1.5% to 3.2%
- Layoffs and discharges rate1.0%0.6% to 7.0%
- Total separations rate3.3%2.8% to 9.2%
Each row is one measure of Virginia over the last ten years, one month to a point, with its newest value and its range printed beside it and a dashed line at zero. A gap is a month with no value. Pointing at the chart shows the month and the value.
Observed .
Virginia, openings and turnover, each month
- Job openings, thousands213138 to 348
- Hires, thousands13279 to 269
- Quits, thousands8653 to 132
- Layoffs and discharges, thousands4324 to 285
- Total separations, thousands141108 to 373
Each row is one measure of Virginia over the last ten years, one month to a point, with its newest value and its range printed beside it and a dashed line at zero. A gap is a month with no value. Pointing at the chart shows the month and the value.
Observed .
Right now
The unemployment rate in Virginia was 3.6% in September 2026, ranking 28th highest of 51 among the states and the District of Columbia.
Over a year it is up 0.2 percentage points (ours). The rate for the United States was 4.2% in the same month. The source marks this value preliminary.
The unemployment rate in September 2026 was the lowest since September 2025.
Jobs and payOurs: change and rank
Nonfarm payroll employment was 4,250.6 thousand in September 2026, down 0.6% over a year (ours), 12th highest of 51.
Average hourly earnings of all employees on private payrolls was $38.63 in September 2026, up 4.9% over a year (ours), 11th highest of 51.
Job openings and turnoverOurs: change and rank
The job openings rate was 4.8% in December 2025, down 0.3 percentage points over a year (ours), 4th highest of 51.
The hires rate was 3.1% in December 2025, unchanged over a year (ours), 38th highest of 51.
The quits rate was 2.0% in December 2025, unchanged over a year (ours), 31st highest of 51.
Understanding the labor market of Virginia
Where it stands today
The unemployment rate in Virginia was 3.6% in September 2026.
What do the figures for Virginia measure?
This page gathers the labor market figures of Virginia that the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) publishes: how many people are in the labor force, at work and unemployed, how many payroll jobs there are and what they pay, and how many jobs are open and how many people were hired, quit or lost a job.
Read more
The unemployment figures come from Local Area Unemployment Statistics, a model that BLS runs for each state every month. The payroll jobs, hours and earnings come from a monthly survey of employers, and the job openings and labor turnover from the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS).
What 500metrics adds: each figure's rank among the fifty states and the District of Columbia, its change over a year, the last time it was higher and lower, the nation's figure beside a rate where BLS gives one, and the last ten years of every figure as small charts.
The numbers behind the chart
What are the latest figures for Virginia?19 measures, each in its own newest month
| Measure | Section | Month | Value | Change over a year | Rank | United States | Last higher | Last lower |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment rate | Unemployment | 3.6% | +0.2 pts | 28 of 51 | 4.2% | |||
| Participation rate | Unemployment | 62.7% | −1.3 pts | 20 of 51 | 61.8% | none since 1976 | ||
| Employment-population ratio | Unemployment | 60.5% | −1.3 pts | 19 of 51 | 59.2% | |||
| Labor force | People | 4,461.2 thousand | −1.2% | 12 of 51 | n/a | |||
| Employed | People | 4,301.6 thousand | −1.4% | 12 of 51 | n/a | |||
| Unemployed | People | 159.6 thousand | +2.9% | 15 of 51 | n/a | |||
| Nonfarm payrolls | Jobs and pay | 4,250.6 thousand | −0.6% | 12 of 51 | n/a | |||
| Average hourly earnings | Jobs and pay | $38.63 | +4.9% | 11 of 51 | n/a | |||
| Average weekly hours | Jobs and pay | 33.7 hours | −1.5% | 27 of 51 | n/a | |||
| Job openings rate | Openings and turnover rates | 4.8% | −0.3 pts | 4 of 51 | 4.0% | |||
| Hires rate | Openings and turnover rates | 3.1% | 0.0 pts | 38 of 51 | 3.3% | |||
| Quits rate | Openings and turnover rates | 2.0% | 0.0 pts | 31 of 51 | 2.0% | |||
| Layoffs and discharges rate | Openings and turnover rates | 1.0% | +0.2 pts | 19 of 51 | 1.1% | |||
| Total separations rate | Openings and turnover rates | 3.3% | +0.3 pts | 23 of 51 | 3.3% | |||
| Job openings | Openings and turnover | 213 thousand | −6.6% | 9 of 51 | n/a | |||
| Hires | Openings and turnover | 132 thousand | 0.0% | 12 of 51 | n/a | |||
| Quits | Openings and turnover | 86 thousand | +1.2% | 11 of 51 | n/a | |||
| Layoffs and discharges | Openings and turnover | 43 thousand | +30.3% | 13 of 51 | n/a | |||
| Total separations | Openings and turnover | 141 thousand | +11.0% | 12 of 51 | n/a |
The table scrolls sideways; the first column stays in place.
What is the unemployment rate in each county of Virginia?133 counties, September 2026, by name
| County | Rate | A year before | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accomack County | 4.3% | 3.9% | +0.4 pts |
| Albemarle County | 3.3% | 2.8% | +0.5 pts |
| Alexandria city | 3.2% | 3.3% | −0.1 pts |
| Alleghany County | 4.2% | 3.4% | +0.8 pts |
| Amelia County | 3.4% | 3.3% | +0.1 pts |
| Amherst County | 3.6% | 3.3% | +0.3 pts |
| Appomattox County | 3.3% | 3.1% | +0.2 pts |
| Arlington County | 2.9% | 3.0% | −0.1 pts |
| Augusta County | 2.9% | 2.7% | +0.2 pts |
| Bath County | 2.6% | 2.3% | +0.3 pts |
| Bedford County | 3.6% | 3.2% | +0.4 pts |
| Bland County | 3.3% | 4.8% | −1.5 pts |
| Botetourt County | 3.2% | 2.8% | +0.4 pts |
| Bristol city | 4.3% | 3.7% | +0.6 pts |
| Brunswick County | 4.1% | 5.2% | −1.1 pts |
| Buchanan County | 6.5% | 5.7% | +0.8 pts |
| Buckingham County | 3.7% | 3.4% | +0.3 pts |
| Buena Vista city | 3.7% | 2.9% | +0.8 pts |
| Campbell County | 3.7% | 3.3% | +0.4 pts |
| Caroline County | 3.6% | 3.1% | +0.5 pts |
| Carroll County | 3.8% | 5.5% | −1.7 pts |
| Charles City County | 4.0% | 3.7% | +0.3 pts |
| Charlotte County | 4.1% | 3.7% | +0.4 pts |
| Charlottesville city | 3.0% | 2.7% | +0.3 pts |
| Chesapeake city | 3.7% | 3.3% | +0.4 pts |
Show 108 more rows
| County | Rate | A year before | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chesterfield County | 3.7% | 3.2% | +0.5 pts |
| Clarke County | 3.6% | 3.1% | +0.5 pts |
| Colonial Heights city | 3.9% | 3.3% | +0.6 pts |
| Covington city | 4.8% | 5.1% | −0.3 pts |
| Craig County | 4.0% | 3.5% | +0.5 pts |
| Culpeper County | 3.3% | 2.9% | +0.4 pts |
| Cumberland County | 3.4% | 2.9% | +0.5 pts |
| Danville city | 5.9% | 6.1% | −0.2 pts |
| Dickenson County | 4.8% | 4.4% | +0.4 pts |
| Dinwiddie County | 3.8% | 3.4% | +0.4 pts |
| Emporia city | 7.5% | 8.7% | −1.2 pts |
| Essex County | 4.1% | 4.2% | −0.1 pts |
| Fairfax County | 3.4% | 3.3% | +0.1 pts |
| Fairfax city | 3.2% | 3.1% | +0.1 pts |
| Falls Church city | 3.4% | 3.6% | −0.2 pts |
| Fauquier County | 3.0% | 2.6% | +0.4 pts |
| Floyd County | 3.1% | 3.3% | −0.2 pts |
| Fluvanna County | 3.1% | 2.9% | +0.2 pts |
| Franklin County | 3.8% | 3.3% | +0.5 pts |
| Franklin city | 5.6% | 4.8% | +0.8 pts |
| Frederick County | 3.4% | 3.0% | +0.4 pts |
| Fredericksburg city | 3.8% | 3.5% | +0.3 pts |
| Galax city | 3.7% | 3.4% | +0.3 pts |
| Giles County | 3.6% | 6.1% | −2.5 pts |
| Gloucester County | 3.1% | 2.8% | +0.3 pts |
| Goochland County | 3.5% | 3.0% | +0.5 pts |
| Grayson County | 3.4% | 4.0% | −0.6 pts |
| Greene County | 2.9% | 2.6% | +0.3 pts |
| Greensville County | 5.9% | 7.3% | −1.4 pts |
| Halifax County | 4.8% | 4.8% | 0.0 pts |
| Hampton city | 4.4% | 4.2% | +0.2 pts |
| Hanover County | 3.1% | 2.8% | +0.3 pts |
| Harrisonburg city | 3.8% | 3.1% | +0.7 pts |
| Henrico County | 3.7% | 3.3% | +0.4 pts |
| Henry County | 5.1% | 4.9% | +0.2 pts |
| Highland County | 3.1% | 3.0% | +0.1 pts |
| Hopewell city | 5.1% | 4.6% | +0.5 pts |
| Isle of Wight County | 3.4% | 3.2% | +0.2 pts |
| James City County | 3.7% | 3.3% | +0.4 pts |
| King George County | 3.5% | 2.9% | +0.6 pts |
| King William County | 3.2% | 2.6% | +0.6 pts |
| King and Queen County | 3.3% | 3.2% | +0.1 pts |
| Lancaster County | 4.4% | 4.1% | +0.3 pts |
| Lee County | 4.8% | 4.6% | +0.2 pts |
| Lexington city | 4.8% | 3.8% | +1.0 pts |
| Loudoun County | 3.4% | 3.2% | +0.2 pts |
| Louisa County | 3.7% | 3.5% | +0.2 pts |
| Lunenburg County | 4.5% | 4.1% | +0.4 pts |
| Lynchburg city | 4.7% | 3.9% | +0.8 pts |
| Madison County | 3.2% | 2.7% | +0.5 pts |
| Manassas Park city | 3.4% | 3.1% | +0.3 pts |
| Manassas city | 3.2% | 2.7% | +0.5 pts |
| Martinsville city | 5.5% | 5.6% | −0.1 pts |
| Mathews County | 3.5% | 3.7% | −0.2 pts |
| Mecklenburg County | 4.1% | 3.8% | +0.3 pts |
| Middlesex County | 3.6% | 3.1% | +0.5 pts |
| Montgomery County | 3.9% | 3.5% | +0.4 pts |
| Nelson County | 3.4% | 3.0% | +0.4 pts |
| New Kent County | 3.2% | 2.9% | +0.3 pts |
| Newport News city | 4.2% | 4.0% | +0.2 pts |
| Norfolk city | 4.2% | 3.9% | +0.3 pts |
| Northampton County | 4.1% | 3.7% | +0.4 pts |
| Northumberland County | 5.2% | 5.0% | +0.2 pts |
| Norton city | 4.3% | 3.8% | +0.5 pts |
| Nottoway County | 4.0% | 3.8% | +0.2 pts |
| Orange County | 3.6% | 3.4% | +0.2 pts |
| Page County | 3.6% | 3.4% | +0.2 pts |
| Patrick County | 4.0% | 3.7% | +0.3 pts |
| Petersburg city | 5.8% | 5.1% | +0.7 pts |
| Pittsylvania County | 3.9% | 4.1% | −0.2 pts |
| Poquoson city | 3.3% | 2.7% | +0.6 pts |
| Portsmouth city | 4.7% | 4.4% | +0.3 pts |
| Powhatan County | 3.0% | 2.6% | +0.4 pts |
| Prince Edward County | 4.9% | 4.2% | +0.7 pts |
| Prince George County | 3.4% | 3.1% | +0.3 pts |
| Prince William County | 3.5% | 3.3% | +0.2 pts |
| Pulaski County | 3.8% | 9.0% | −5.2 pts |
| Radford city | 4.4% | 4.6% | −0.2 pts |
| Rappahannock County | 3.1% | 2.9% | +0.2 pts |
| Richmond County | 4.1% | 3.3% | +0.8 pts |
| Richmond city | 4.1% | 3.8% | +0.3 pts |
| Roanoke County | 3.3% | 3.0% | +0.3 pts |
| Roanoke city | 3.9% | 3.5% | +0.4 pts |
| Rockbridge County | 3.2% | 3.0% | +0.2 pts |
| Rockingham County | 3.0% | 2.7% | +0.3 pts |
| Russell County | 4.8% | 4.6% | +0.2 pts |
| Salem city | 3.4% | 3.1% | +0.3 pts |
| Scott County | 4.2% | 3.7% | +0.5 pts |
| Shenandoah County | 3.7% | 3.3% | +0.4 pts |
| Smyth County | 4.6% | 4.3% | +0.3 pts |
| Southampton County | 3.8% | 3.6% | +0.2 pts |
| Spotsylvania County | 3.7% | 3.3% | +0.4 pts |
| Stafford County | 3.6% | 3.3% | +0.3 pts |
| Staunton city | 3.1% | 2.9% | +0.2 pts |
| Suffolk city | 3.9% | 3.6% | +0.3 pts |
| Surry County | 3.9% | 3.4% | +0.5 pts |
| Sussex County | 4.0% | 3.7% | +0.3 pts |
| Tazewell County | 4.9% | 5.0% | −0.1 pts |
| Virginia Beach city | 3.5% | 3.1% | +0.4 pts |
| Warren County | 3.4% | 3.1% | +0.3 pts |
| Washington County | 3.6% | 3.3% | +0.3 pts |
| Waynesboro city | 3.2% | 2.9% | +0.3 pts |
| Westmoreland County | 5.0% | 4.7% | +0.3 pts |
| Williamsburg city | 5.2% | 4.3% | +0.9 pts |
| Winchester city | 3.7% | 3.2% | +0.5 pts |
| Wise County | 4.9% | 4.1% | +0.8 pts |
| Wythe County | 3.6% | 5.7% | −2.1 pts |
| York County | 3.5% | 3.0% | +0.5 pts |
What do these figures leave out, and how are they cited?Limits, dates and how to cite
What this number cannot tell you
- The unemployment figures of a state are estimates from a model, not a count. BLS revises the latest months as more data arrive and revises the past years every March.
- The payroll figures are estimates from a survey of employers. BLS revises them twice after the first release and once a year, when it benchmarks them to the count of jobs covered by unemployment insurance. Average hourly earnings and average weekly hours are for all employees on private payrolls and are not seasonally adjusted.
- The state figures of job openings and labor turnover come from a survey whose estimates for a single state have a larger sampling error than the nation's. Each figure shows its own newest month, which can be older than the month of the unemployment rate.
- A rank is among the fifty states and the District of Columbia in the same month, highest value first, and a large state ranks high on a count of people or jobs. The changes, the ranks and the months a figure was last higher and lower are ours, worked out from the values BLS publishes.
- The county rates are not seasonally adjusted, so each county's rate is set beside its own rate a year before.
Observed . Checked .
How to cite this
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Current Population Survey; State and Area Employment, Hours, and Earnings; Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey), labor market of Virginia, through September 2026. Compiled by 500metrics, "How is the job market in Virginia?", https://500metrics.com/states/virginia.
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