Jobless rates dip in Virginia metro areas

Unemployment in Virginia’s metro areas trended downward in March

Ten of the commonwealth’s 11 metropolitan statistical years (MSAs) saw their jobless rates improve during the month, according to the Virginia Employment Commission.

In the Staunton-Waynesboro MSA, the rate was unchanged at 2.9 percent.

In ten metro areas, the rate decline was one-tenth of percentage. In one, Hampton Roads, the margin was two-tenths of a point.

The figures were not seasonally adjusted, meaning they did not take into account seasonal fluctuations in the labor market.

The Bristol area reported the highest unemployment rate, a still-low 3.7 percent.

All the other metro numbers for March were below 3.5 percent.

As usual, Northern Virginia had the lowest unempllyment rate in March, 2.6 percent, closely followed at the Charlottesville and Winchester areas at 2.8 percent.

A rundown of the jobless numbers shows:

Bristol: 3.7 percent in March, down from 3.8 percent in February.
Charlottesville: 2.8 percent, down from 2.9 percent.
Hampton Roads: 3.3 percent, down from 3.5 percent.
Harrisonburg: 3 percent, down from 3.1 percent.
Lynchburg: 3.5 percent, down from 3.6 percent.
New River Valley: 3.2 percent, down from 3.3 percent.
Northern Virginia: 2.6 percent, down from 2.7 percent.
Richmond: 3.2 percent, down from 3.3 percent.
Roanoke: 3 percent, down from 3.1 percent.
Staunton-Waynesboro: 2.9 percent, unchanged.
Winchester: 2.8 percent, down from 2.9 percent

In smaller, “micropolitan” areas, the rates were:

Bluefield: 4.7 percent, down from 5 percent.
Big Stone Gap: 5 percent, down from 5.2 percent.
Danville: 4.3 percent, unchanged.
Martinsville: 3.9 percent, down from 4 percent.

Arlington County continued to be the Virginia locality with the lowest unemployment rate, 2.1 percent, while Northumberland County had the highest rate, 6.6 percent.