RICHMOND— Virginia Works – the Commonwealth’s Department of Workforce Development and Advancement – announced today that Virginia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in December remained unchanged at 3.0 percent, which is the same as the rate from a year ago. According to household survey data in December, the labor force increased by 2,502 to 4,581,450 as the number of unemployed residents decreased by 247 to 136,810. The number of employed residents increased by 2,749 to 4,444,640. Virginia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate is 1.1 percentage points below the national rate, which decreased by 0.1 percentage points to 4.1 percent.
The Commonwealth’s labor force participation rate remained unchanged at 66.0 percent in December, which is 3.5 points above the national rate of 62.5 percent. 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 December, Virginia’s nonagricultural employment, from the monthly establishment survey increased by 4,900 to 4,268,200. November’s preliminary estimate of employment, after revision, increased by 3,200 to 4,263,300. In December, private sector employment increased by 3,400 to 3,513,400 while government employment increased by 1,500 to 754,800. Within that sector, federal government jobs increased by 1,100 to 192,200, state government employment remained unchanged at 167,700, and local government increased by 400 to 394,900 over the month.
Seasonally adjusted total nonfarm employment data is produced for eleven industry sectors. In December, four experienced over-the-month job gains, and seven experienced a decline. The largest job gain occurred in Education and Health Services (+5,300) to 614,500. The second largest job gain occurred in Leisure and Hospitality (+4,700) to 427,800. The third largest job gain occurred in Government (+1,500) to 754,800. The other gain was in Information (+1,200) to 71,700.
The largest job loss occurred in Financial Activities (-1,600) to 218,300. The second largest job loss occurred in Construction (-1,500) to 229,100. The third largest job loss occurred in Professional and Business Services (-1,300) to 816,800. The other losses were in Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-1,300) to 678,100; Manufacturing (-1,200) to 246,700; Miscellaneous Services (-800) to 203,100; and Mining and Logging (-100) to 7,300.
Nonfarm Employment in Virginia* Seasonally Adjusted | |||||||
Industry | Employment | November 2024 to December 2024 | December 2023 to December 2024 | ||||
December 2024 | November 2024 | December 2023 | Change | % Change | Change | % Change | |
Total Nonfarm | 4,268,200 | 4,263,300 | 4,191,300 | 4,900 | 0.1% | 76,900 | 1.8% |
Total Private | 3,513,400 | 3,510,000 | 3,454,300 | 3,400 | 0.1% | 59,100 | 1.7% |
Goods Producing | 483,100 | 485,900 | 472,900 | -2,800 | -0.6% | 10,200 | 2.2% |
Mining and Logging | 7,300 | 7,400 | 7,200 | -100 | -1.4% | 100 | 1.4% |
Construction | 229,100 | 230,600 | 218,200 | -1,500 | -0.7% | 10,900 | 5.0% |
Manufacturing | 246,700 | 247,900 | 247,500 | -1,200 | -0.5% | -800 | -0.3% |
Service-Providing | 3,785,100 | 3,777,400 | 3,718,400 | 7,700 | 0.2% | 66,700 | 1.8% |
Private Service Providing | 3,030,300 | 3,024,100 | 2,981,400 | 6,200 | 0.2% | 48,900 | 1.6% |
Trade, Transportation, and Utilities | 678,100 | 679,400 | 672,200 | -1,300 | -0.2% | 5,900 | 0.9% |
Information | 71,700 | 70,500 | 69,700 | 1,200 | 1.7% | 2,000 | 2.9% |
Financial Activities | 218,300 | 219,900 | 222,600 | -1,600 | -0.7% | -4,300 | -1.9% |
Professional and Business Services | 816,800 | 818,100 | 802,800 | -1,300 | -0.2% | 14,000 | 1.7% |
Education and Health Services | 614,500 | 609,200 | 594,100 | 5,300 | 0.9% | 20,400 | 3.4% |
Leisure and Hospitality | 427,800 | 423,100 | 418,800 | 4,700 | 1.1% | 9,000 | 2.1% |
Miscellaneous Services | 203,100 | 203,900 | 201,200 | -800 | -0.4% | 1,900 | 0.9% |
Government | 754,800 | 753,300 | 737,000 | 1,500 | 0.2% | 17,800 | 2.4% |
Federal Government | 192,200 | 191,100 | 189,800 | 1,100 | 0.6% | 2,400 | 1.3% |
State Government | 167,700 | 167,700 | 153,700 | 0 | 0.0% | 14,000 | 9.1% |
Local Government | 394,900 | 394,500 | 393,500 | 400 | 0.1% | 1,400 | 0.4% |
*Current month’s estimates are preliminary.
From December 2023 to December 2024, Virginia Works estimates that total nonfarm employment in Virginia increased by 76,900 to 4,268,200, private sector employment increased by 59,100 to 3,513,400, and government employment increased by 17,800 to 754,800 jobs. Within that sector, federal government jobs increased by 2,400 to 192,200, state government employment increased by 14,000 to 167,700, and local government increased by 1,400 to 394,900 over the year.
For the eleven industry sectors in Virginia over the year, nine experienced over-the-year job gains, and two experienced a decline. The largest job gain occurred in Education and Health Services (+20,400) to 614,500. The second largest job gain occurred in Government (+17,800) to 754,800. The third largest job gain occurred in Professional and Business Services (+14,000) to 816,800. The other gains were in Construction (+10,900) to 229,100; Leisure and Hospitality (+9,000) to 427,800; Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (+5,900) to 678,100; Information (+2,000) to 71,700; Miscellaneous Services (+1,900) to 203,100; and Mining and Logging (+100) to 7,300.
The largest job loss occurred in Financial Activities (-4,300) to 218,300. The second largest job loss occurred in Manufacturing (-800) to 246,700.
Nonfarm Employment in Virginia* Seasonally Adjusted | |||||||
Area | Employment | November 2024 to December 2024 | December 2023 to December 2024 | ||||
December 2024 | November 2024 | December 2023 | Change | % Change | Change | % Change | |
Virginia | 4,268,200 | 4,263,300 | 4,191,300 | 4,900 | 0.1% | 76,900 | 1.8% |
Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford MSA | 85,600 | 85,300 | 85,200 | 300 | 0.4% | 400 | 0.5% |
Charlottesville MSA | 129,700 | 129,000 | 125,300 | 700 | 0.5% | 4,400 | 3.5% |
Harrisonburg MSA | 72,600 | 72,600 | 72,200 | 0 | 0.0% | 400 | 0.6% |
Lynchburg MSA | 105,700 | 105,700 | 105,100 | 0 | 0.0% | 600 | 0.6% |
Northern Virginia MSA | 1,605,600 | 1,602,900 | 1,579,700 | 2,700 | 0.2% | 25,900 | 1.6% |
Richmond MSA | 738,100 | 737,200 | 715,100 | 900 | 0.1% | 23,000 | 3.2% |
Roanoke MSA | 169,000 | 168,800 | 166,900 | 200 | 0.1% | 2,100 | 1.3% |
Staunton MSA | 54,100 | 54,100 | 54,000 | 0 | 0.0% | 100 | 0.2% |
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News MSA | 828,200 | 827,600 | 814,400 | 600 | 0.1% | 13,800 | 1.7% |
Winchester MSA | 73,500 | 73,000 | 72,400 | 500 | 0.7% | 1,100 | 1.5% |
*Current month’s estimates are preliminary.
Seasonally adjusted total nonfarm employment data is produced for ten metropolitan areas. In December, seven experienced over-the-month job gains, three remained unchanged, and none experienced a decline. The largest job gain occurred in Northern Virginia (+2,700) to 1,605,600. The second largest job gain occurred in Richmond (+900) to 738,100. The third largest job gain occurred in Charlottesville (+700) to 129,700. The other gains were in Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News (+600) to 828,200; Winchester (+500) to 73,500; Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford (+300) to 85,600; and Roanoke (+200) to 169,000.
Harrisonburg, Lynchburg, and Staunton remained unchanged.
Over the year, all metro areas experienced over-the-year job gains. The largest job gain occurred in Northern Virginia (+25,900) to 1,605,600. The second largest job gain occurred in Richmond (+23,000) to 738,100. The third largest job gain occurred in Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News (+13,800) to 828,200. The other gains were in Charlottesville (+4,400) to 129,700; Roanoke (+2,100) to 169,000; Winchester (+1,100) to 73,500; Lynchburg (+600) to 105,700; Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford (+400) to 85,600; Harrisonburg (+400) to 72,600; and Staunton (+100) to 54,100.
Not Seasonally Adjusted Data
Virginia’s unadjusted unemployment rate decreased by 0.5 percentage points to 2.5 percent in December. It has decreased by 0.2 percentage points to 2.5 percent compared to last year. Compared to a year ago, the number of unemployed decreased by 6,417 to 115,554, household employment increased by 10,156 to 4,422,766, and the labor force increased by 3,739 to 4,538,320. Virginia’s not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate is 1.3 percentage points below the national unadjusted rate, which decreased by 0.2 percentage points to 3.8 percent.
Compared to last month, the December unadjusted workweek for Virginia’s 158,400 manufacturing production workers remained unchanged at 39.6 hours. Average hourly earnings of private-sector production workers increased by $0.30 to $27.29, and average weekly earnings increased by $11.88 to $1,080.68.
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 December
Employment Situation press release for details.
The statistical reference week for the household survey this month was the week of December 8-14, 2024
Virginia Works plans to release the December local area unemployment rates on Wednesday February 05, 2025. The data will be available on our website www.VirginiaWorks.com. The January 2025 statewide unemployment rate and employment data for both the state and metropolitan areas are scheduled to be released on Monday March 11, 2024. |

