August 20, 2021
Benjamin Alpern
Economist
Economic Information & Analytics Division
(804) 486-2408 or (804) 786-8264
The Virginia unemployment rate fell to 4.2 percent in July while total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 2,300
~ Changes in these measures since April 2020 primarily reflect the effects of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and efforts to contain it ~
RICHMOND— Virginia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell 0.1 percentage points in July to 4.2 percent, which is 3.7 percentage points below the rate from a year ago. According to household survey data in July, the labor force increased by 7,818 to 4,241,686, as the number of unemployed residents decreased by 7,595. The number of employed residents increased by 15,413 to 4,065,473. Virginia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate continues to be below the national rate, which decreased to 5.4 percent.
Virginia nonagricultural wage and salary employment, from the monthly establishment survey, increased by 2,300 jobs in July to 3,902,500. June’s preliminary estimate was revised upward by 6,000 jobs, adding to that month’s job gains. In July, private sector employment increased by 11,100 jobs to 3,207,000, while public sector payrolls decreased by 8,800 to 695,500. Employment rose in five of the eleven major industry sectors and declined in six. The largest job gain during July occurred in leisure and hospitality services with an increase of 9,600 jobs to 342,200. The second largest increase occurred in professional and business services (+5,600 jobs) to 777,100. Information and manufacturing each saw 200 additional jobs gained, increasing to 64,800 and 236,600 respectively. Mining also saw an increase of 100 jobs to 7,600.
The largest job loss during July occurred in government (-8,800) with local government losing 7,900 jobs, state government losing 1,100 jobs, and federal government gaining 200 jobs. The second largest decrease occurred in education and health services which lost 1,700 jobs falling to 532,100. Other over-the-month decreases in employment included: trade, transportation, and utilities (-1,200) to 657,700; finance (-1,100) to 203,400; construction (-500) to 204,100; and miscellaneous services (-100) to 181,400.
Nonfarm Employment in Virginia*
Seasonally Adjusted
Industry | Employment | June 2021 to | July 2020 to | ||||
July 2021 | June 2021 | July 2020 | Change | % Change | Change | % Change | |
Total Nonfarm | 3,902,500 | 3,900,200 | 3,758,700 | 2,300 | 0.1% | 143,800 | 3.8% |
Total Private Sector | 3,207,000 | 3,195,900 | 3,072,900 | 11,100 | 0.3% | 134,100 | 4.4% |
Goods-Producing | 448,300 | 448,500 | 435,200 | -200 | 0.0% | 13,100 | 3.0% |
Mining | 7,600 | 7,500 | 6,800 | 100 | 1.3% | 800 | 11.8% |
Construction | 204,100 | 204,600 | 198,600 | -500 | -0.2% | 5,500 | 2.8% |
Manufacturing | 236,600 | 236,400 | 229,800 | 200 | 0.1% | 6,800 | 3.0% |
Service-Providing | 3,454,200 | 3,451,700 | 3,323,500 | 2,500 | 0.1% | 130,700 | 3.9% |
Private Service-Providing | 2,758,700 | 2,747,400 | 2,637,700 | 11,300 | 0.4% | 121,000 | 4.6% |
Trade, Transportation, and Utilities | 657,700 | 658,900 | 630,400 | -1,200 | -0.2% | 27,300 | 4.3% |
Information | 64,800 | 64,600 | 63,700 | 200 | 0.3% | 1,100 | 1.7% |
Finance | 203,400 | 204,500 | 207,600 | -1,100 | -0.5% | -4,200 | -2.0% |
Professional and Business Services | 777,100 | 771,500 | 747,100 | 5,600 | 0.7% | 30,000 | 4.0% |
Education and Health Services | 532,100 | 533,800 | 516,800 | -1,700 | -0.3% | 15,300 | 3.0% |
Leisure and Hospitality Services | 342,200 | 332,600 | 296,200 | 9,600 | 2.9% | 46,000 | 15.5% |
Miscellaneous Services | 181,400 | 181,500 | 175,900 | -100 | -0.1% | 5,500 | 3.1% |
Government | 695,500 | 704,300 | 685,800 | -8,800 | -1.2% | 9,700 | 1.4% |
Federal Government | 186,100 | 185,900 | 186,000 | 200 | 0.1% | 100 | 0.1% |
State Government | 147,600 | 148,700 | 154,600 | -1,100 | -0.7% | -7,000 | -4.5% |
Local Government | 361,800 | 369,700 | 345,200 | -7,900 | -2.1% | 16,600 | 4.8% |
*Current month's estimates are preliminary.
From July 2020 to July 2021, the VEC estimates that establishments in Virginia gained 143,800 jobs, an increase of 3.8%. In July, the private sector recorded an over-the-year gain of 134,100 jobs, while employment in the public sector gained 9,700 jobs.
Compared to a year ago, on a seasonally adjusted basis, all but one of the eleven major industry divisions experienced employment increases. The largest over-the-year job gain occurred in leisure and hospitality, up 46,000 jobs (15.5%). The next largest over-the-year job gain occurred in professional and business services, up 30,000 jobs (4.0%). Trade, transportation, and utilities followed with 27,300 jobs (4.3%) gained over-the-year. The fourth largest over-the-year gain occurred in education and health services which increased by 15,300 jobs (3.0%). Other gains occurred in government, up 9,700 jobs (1.4%); manufacturing, up 6,800 jobs (3.0%); construction, up 5,500 jobs (2.8%); miscellaneous services, up 5,500 jobs (3.1%); information, up 1,100 jobs (1.7%); and mining, up 800 jobs (11.8%). The only over-the-year job loss occurred in finance, with a loss of 4,200 jobs (-2.0%).
Total Nonfarm Employment in Virginia*
Area | Employment | June 2021 to | July 2020 to | ||||
July | June | July | Change | % Change | Change | % Change | |
Virginia | 3,902,500 | 3,900,200 | 3,758,700 | 2,300 | 0.1% | 143,800 | 3.8% |
Blacksburg-Christiansburg- | 76,300 | 76,200 | 72,800 | 100 | 0.1% | 3,500 | 4.8% |
Charlottesville MSA | 114,300 | 112,500 | 109,900 | 1,800 | 1.6% | 4,400 | 4.0% |
Harrisonburg MSA | 68,000 | 67,600 | 64,000 | 400 | 0.6% | 4,000 | 6.3% |
Lynchburg MSA | 100,900 | 100,000 | 98,600 | 900 | 0.9% | 2,300 | 2.3% |
Northern Virginia MSA | 1,472,000 | 1,471,100 | 1,401,200 | 900 | 0.1% | 70,800 | 5.1% |
Richmond MSA | 651,500 | 648,400 | 639,300 | 3,100 | 0.5% | 12,200 | 1.9% |
Roanoke MSA | 158,700 | 158,500 | 152,100 | 200 | 0.1% | 6,600 | 4.3% |
Staunton-Waynesboro MSA | 51,200 | 51,100 | 48,800 | 100 | 0.2% | 2,400 | 4.9% |
Virginia Beach- | 761,600 | 762,600 | 738,900 | -1,000 | -0.1% | 22,700 | 3.1% |
Winchester, | 67,300 | 67,100 | 64,400 | 200 | 0.3% | 2,900 | 4.5% |
*Current month's estimates are preliminary.
Seasonally adjusted total nonfarm employment data is produced for ten metropolitan areas. In July, nine metropolitan areas experienced over-the-month job gains and one experienced losses over-the-month. The largest job gain occurred in Richmond which added 3,100 jobs over-the-month. The next largest increase occurred in Charlottesville, gaining 1,800 jobs. Lynchburg and Northern Virginia followed with 900 jobs gained in each area. Other over-the-month job gains occurred in Harrisonburg (+400 jobs), Roanoke (+200 jobs), Winchester (+200 jobs), Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford (+100 jobs) and Staunton-Waynesboro (+100 jobs). Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News was the only area to record an over-the-month job loss, losing 1,000 jobs.
Over-the-year, seasonally adjusted total nonfarm employment increased in all ten metropolitan areas. The Northern Virginia metropolitan area experienced the largest absolute job gain, up 70,800 jobs (5.1%). Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News ranked second with an increase of 22,700 jobs (3.1%). Richmond ranked third, with a gain of 12,200 jobs (1.9%). Other over-the-year job gains occurred in Roanoke (6,600), Charlottesville (4,400 jobs), Harrisonburg (4,000 jobs), Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford (3,500 jobs), Winchester (2,900 jobs), Staunton-Waynesboro (2,400 jobs), and Lynchburg (2,300 jobs).
Not Seasonally Adjusted Data
Virginia’s unadjusted unemployment rate fell by 0.4 percentage points in July to 4.1 percent, down 4.0 percentage points from a year ago. Compared to a year ago, the number of unemployed decreased by 179,100, household employment increased by 131,787, and the labor force decreased by 47,313. Virginia’s not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate continues to be below the national unadjusted rate, which fell by 0.4 percentage points in July to 5.7 percent.
Compared to last month, the July unadjusted workweek for Virginia’s 155,300 manufacturing production workers decreased by 0.7 hours to 41.4 hours. Average hourly earnings of private-sector production workers increased by $.05 to $21.00 in July, but average weekly earnings decreased by $12.60 to $869.40.
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 July, refer to the BLS July 2021 Employment Situation press release for details.
The statistical reference week for the household survey this month was the week of July 11-17, 2021.
The Virginia Employment Commission plans to release the July local area unemployment rates on Wednesday, September 1, 2021. The data will be available on our website www.VirginiaWorks.com. The August statewide unemployment rate and employment data for both the state and metropolitan areas are scheduled to be released on Friday, September 17, 2021.
Files detailing July's unemployment numbers are available below:
