Virginia jobless rate remains unchanged

Published March 11, 2019 by Robert Powell, III

Virginia’s unemployment rate in January remained at 2.8 percent for the sixth consecutive month.

The seasonally adjusted rate was down half a percentage point from January 2018. The 2.8 figure is the lowest jobless statistic seen in the commonwealth since April 2001.

The national seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4 percent in January.

Seasonally adjusted unemployment figures take into account seasonal fluctuations in the labor market.

The Virginia labor force added 7,183 workers in January, its seventh consecutive expansion, for a total of 4,346,164.

The commonwealth’s nonfarm employment rose by 23,700 jobs in January to a record high, 4,032,300.

From December 2018 to January 2019,  employment increased in all major industry divisions in Virginia except manufacturing, which declined by a slight 100 jobs to 243,900.

The largest job gain during January occurred in the leisure and hospitality sector, which increased by 7,000 jobs to 417,800.