Virginia unemployment rate holds steady

Published March 29, 2013 by Jessica Sabbath

Virginia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate held steady in February at 5.6 percent.

This was 0.3 percentage point below February 2012.

The rate was below the national unemployment rate in February of 7.7 percent, which was down 0.2 point from January.

Between January and February, employment increase in seven industries, declined in two and stayed the same in manufacturing and mining. Private education and health services had the largest monthly increase, followed by the construction industry. Job declines were seen in the leisure and hospitality and trade and transportation industries.

In addition, seven of Virginia’s 10 metropolitan areas saw job gains on a seasonally adjusted basis. The Hampton Roads region saw the largest increase with 4,600 jobs. Blacksburg has the highest percentage growth rate at 2.4 percent, or 1,700 new jobs.

Northern Virginia lost 700 jobs, Danville lost 300 jobs.

Virginia’s unadjusted unemployment rate decreased 0.5 percentage point to 5.7 percent was 0.6 percentage point below the February rate.
Jessica Sabbath