December 20, 2019
Conrad Buckler
Economist
Economic Information & Analytics Division
(804) 786-8264 or (804) 786-7496
Virginia’s Seasonally Adjusted Unemployment Rate Held Steady in November at 2.6 Percent
~ Seasonally adjusted nonfarm employment was up 17,700 jobs between October 2019 and November 2019 ~
RICHMOND — Virginia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate held steady in November at 2.6 percent, which is 0.2 percentage point below the rate from a year ago. According to household survey data in November, the labor force expanded for the seventeenth consecutive month by 13,326, or 0.3 percent, to set a new record high of 4,441,018, as the number of unemployed decreased by 521. Household employment increased by 13,847 to set a new high of 4,324,922. Virginia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate continues to be below the national rate, which decreased 0.1 percentage point to 3.5 percent.
Virginia nonagricultural wage and salary employment, from the monthly establishment survey, increased by 17,700 jobs in November to 4,049,300. October’s preliminary estimates were revised upward 1,900, adding to that month’s strong job numbers. In November, private sector employment increased by 17,600 jobs to 3,331,200, while public sector payrolls increased by 100 jobs to 718,100.
From October 2019 to November 2019, seasonally adjusted employment increased in ten major industry divisions, and decreased 100 jobs in mining to 8,200. The largest job gain during November occurred in professional and business services with a gain of 5,400 jobs to 761,300. The second largest over-the-month gain occurred in manufacturing with a gain of 4,400 jobs to 248,800. Other employment gains were: leisure and hospitality (2,700 jobs) to 427,000; finance (2,300 jobs) to 211,200; private education and health services (1,100 jobs) to 555,700; trade and transportation (1,000 jobs) to 654,600; construction (500 jobs) to 199,200; miscellaneous services, (200 jobs) to 202,100; information (100 jobs) to 63,100; and total government (100 jobs) to 718,100. For total government, gains of 300 jobs occurred in both federal government and state government, but there was a loss of 500 jobs in local government.
Nonfarm Employment in Virginia*
Seasonally Adjusted
Industry | Employment | October 2019 to | November 2018 to | ||||
November | October | November | Change | % Change | Change | % Change | |
Total Nonfarm | 4,049,300 | 4,031,600 | 4,009,200 | 17,700 | 0.4% | 40,100 | 1.0% |
Total Private Sector | 3,331,200 | 3,313,600 | 3,283,800 | 17,600 | 0.5% | 47,400 | 1.4% |
Goods-Producing | 456,200 | 451,400 | 447,900 | 4,800 | 1.1% | 8,300 | 1.9% |
Mining | 8,200 | 8,300 | 7,800 | -100 | -1.2% | 400 | 5.1% |
Construction | 199,200 | 198,700 | 197,200 | 500 | 0.3% | 2,000 | 1.0% |
Manufacturing | 248,800 | 244,400 | 242,900 | 4,400 | 1.8% | 5,900 | 2.4% |
Service-Providing | 3,593,100 | 3,580,200 | 3,561,300 | 12,900 | 0.4% | 31,800 | 0.9% |
Private Service-Providing | 2,875,000 | 2,862,200 | 2,835,900 | 12,800 | 0.4% | 39,100 | 1.4% |
Trade, Transportation, and Utilities | 654,600 | 653,600 | 658,700 | 1,000 | 0.2% | -4,100 | -0.6% |
Information | 63,100 | 63,000 | 65,700 | 100 | 0.2% | -2,600 | -4.0% |
Finance | 211,200 | 208,900 | 207,600 | 2,300 | 1.1% | 3,600 | 1.7% |
Professional and Business Services | 761,300 | 755,900 | 751,900 | 5,400 | 0.7% | 9,400 | 1.3% |
Education and Health Services | 555,700 | 554,600 | 543,400 | 1,100 | 0.2% | 12,300 | 2.3% |
Leisure and Hospitality Services | 427,000 | 424,300 | 407,500 | 2,700 | 0.6% | 19,500 | 4.8% |
Miscellaneous Services | 202,100 | 201,900 | 201,100 | 200 | 0.1% | 1,000 | 0.5% |
Government | 718,100 | 718,000 | 725,400 | 100 | 0.0% | -7,300 | -1.0% |
Federal Government | 180,600 | 180,300 | 180,200 | 300 | 0.2% | 400 | 0.2% |
State Government | 161,000 | 160,700 | 159,800 | 300 | 0.2% | 1,200 | 0.8% |
Local Government | 376,500 | 377,000 | 385,400 | -500 | -0.1% | -8,900 | -2.3% |
*Current month's estimates are preliminary.
From November 2018 to November 2019, BLS estimates that establishments in Virginia added 40,100 jobs, or 1.0 percent. Over-the-year employment growth in Virginia has been positive for 68 consecutive months and has continued to strengthen over the last several months. In November, the private sector recorded an over-the-year gain of 47,400 jobs, while employment in the public sector decreased by 7,300 jobs.
Compared to a year ago, on a seasonally adjusted basis, eight of the eleven major industry divisions experienced employment gains while the other three experienced employment losses. The largest over-the-year job gain occurred in leisure and hospitality, up 19,500 jobs (+4.8 percent). The next largest over-the-year job gain occurred in private education and health services, up 12,300 jobs (+2.3 percent). Professional and business services was the third largest with an over-the-year job gain of 9,400 jobs (+1.3 percent). Other gains were in: manufacturing, up 5,900 jobs (+2.4 percent); finance, up 3,600 jobs (+1.7 percent); construction, up 2,000 jobs (+1.0 percent); miscellaneous services, up 1,000 jobs (+0.5 percent); and mining up 400 jobs (+5.1 percent). The largest job loss was in total government (-1.0 percent), with gains in state government employment (+1,200 jobs); federal (+400 jobs); along with a loss in local (-8,900 jobs). The other losses were in trade and transportation, down 4,100 jobs (-0.6 percent), and information, down 2,600 jobs (-4.0 percent).
Total Nonfarm Employment in Virginia*
Seasonally Adjusted
Area | Employment | October 2019 to | November 2018 to | ||||
November | October | November | Change | % Change | Change | % Change | |
Virginia | 4,049,300 | 4,031,600 | 4,009,200 | 17,700 | 0.4% | 40,100 | 1.0% |
Blacksburg-Christiansburg- | 77,500 | 73,700 | 76,900 | 3,800 | 5.2% | 600 | 0.8% |
Charlottesville MSA | 119,700 | 119,800 | 117,800 | -100 | -0.1% | 1,900 | 1.6% |
Harrisonburg MSA | 69,500 | 69,400 | 68,200 | 100 | 0.1% | 1,300 | 1.9% |
Lynchburg MSA | 106,100 | 106,400 | 105,600 | -300 | -0.3% | 500 | 0.5% |
Northern Virginia MSA | 1,518,400 | 1,513,900 | 1,494,100 | 4,500 | 0.3% | 24,300 | 1.6% |
Richmond MSA | 689,800 | 684,100 | 678,800 | 5,700 | 0.8% | 11,000 | 1.6% |
Roanoke MSA | 164,600 | 163,900 | 161,200 | 700 | 0.4% | 3,400 | 2.1% |
Staunton-Waynesboro MSA | 51,900 | 51,900 | 51,100 | 0 | 0.0% | 800 | 1.6% |
Virginia Beach- | 795,500 | 792,600 | 788,300 | 2,900 | 0.4% | 7,200 | 0.9% |
Winchester, | 66,300 | 66,300 | 64,400 | 0 | 0.0% | 1,900 | 3.0% |
*Current month's estimates are preliminary.
Seasonally adjusted total nonfarm employment data is produced for ten metropolitan areas. In November, six metropolitan areas experienced over-the-month job gains, Staunton-Waynesboro and Winchester had no change, while two experienced losses. The largest absolute job gain occurred in Richmond (+5,700 jobs). The second largest absolute job gain occurred in Northern Virginia (+4,500 jobs). The other gains were: Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford (+3,800 jobs); Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, (+2,900 jobs); Roanoke (+700 jobs); and Harrisonburg (+100 jobs). The job losses were Lynchburg (-300 jobs), and Charlottesville (-100 jobs).
Over the year, seasonally adjusted total nonfarm employment increased in all of the ten metropolitan areas. The Northern Virginia metropolitan area experienced the largest absolute job gain, up 24,300 jobs (+1.6 percent). Richmond was second largest with a gain of 11,000 jobs (+1.6 percent). Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News was third largest with gains of 7,200 jobs, (+0.9 percent). The other over-the-year job gains occurred in: Roanoke (+3,400 jobs); Charlottesville (+1,900 jobs); Winchester (+1,900 jobs); Harrisonburg (+1,300 jobs); Staunton-Waynesboro (+800 jobs); Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford (+600 jobs); and Lynchburg (+500 jobs).
Not Seasonally Adjusted Data
Virginia’s unadjusted unemployment rate increased 0.1 percentage point in November to 2.5 percent, and unchanged from a year ago. Compared to a year ago, the number of unemployed increased by 525, household employment increased by 121,957, and the labor force increased by 122,482. Virginia’s not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate continues to be below the national unadjusted rate, which was unchanged in November at 3.3 percent.
Compared to last month, the November unadjusted workweek for Virginia’s 169,235 manufacturing production workers increased by 0.1 hour to 40.1 hours and average hourly earnings decreased to $19.31. Average weekly earnings decreased $2.07 to $774.33. Compared to last November, the unadjusted workweek decreased by 1.0 hour, average hourly earnings decreased by $0.21, and average weekly earnings were lower by $27.94.
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 Bureau of Labor Statistics, 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.
The statistical reference week for the household survey this month was the week of November 10-16, 2019.
The Virginia Employment Commission plans to release the November local area unemployment rates on Friday, January 3, 2020. The data will be available on our website, www.VirginiaWorks.com.
The December statewide unemployment rate and employment data for both the state and metropolitan areas are scheduled to be released on Friday, January 24, 2020.Files detailing November's unemployment numbers are available below:
