Regional jobless rates rise across Virginia

Unemployment rose in Virginia’s metro areas in June, according to numbers released by the Virginia Employment Commission.

The VEC reported on Wednesday that jobless rates in all 11 of the commonwealth’s metropolitan statistical areas increased during the month, from two-tenths of a percentage point to 1.2 points.

The VEC figures are not seasonally adjusted, meaning they do not take into account seasonal fluctuations in the labor market.

Northern Virginia, as usual, had the lowest unemployment rate, 3.2 percent. The Bristol area had the highest rate, 5.4 percent.

Despite the overall increase in jobless rates, five metro areas have unemployment rates of under 4 percent.

Arlington had the lowest jobless rate of Virginia cities and counties in June, 2.4 percent. Buchanan County had the highest rate, 10.3 percent.

The seasonally unadjusted unemployment rate for Virginia in June was 4 percent. The U.S. rate was 5.1 percent.

The seasonally adjusted June numbers were 3.7 percent for Virginia and 4.9 percent for the U.S.

A breakdown of the Virginia metro area numbers shows:

Bristol: 5.4 percent in June , up from 4.2 percent in May.

Charlottesville: 3.6 percent, up from 3.1 percent.

Hampton Roads: 4.5 percent, up from 4.1 percent.

Harrisonburg: 4.4 percent, up from 3.8 percent.

Lynchburg: 4.7 percent, up from 4 percent.

New River Valley (Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford): 4.7 percent, up from 4 percent.

Northern Virginia: 3.2 percent, up from 3 percent.

Richmond: 4 percent, up from 3.7 percent.

Roanoke: 3.9 percent, up from 3.5 percent.

Staunton-Waynesboro: 3.7 percent, up from 3.4 percent.

Winchester: 3.5 percent, up from 3.2 percent.

Veronica Garabelli