Little change seen in metro area jobless numbers

Unemployment in Virginia’s metro areas showed little change in August, according to the Virginia Employment Commission.

Six of the commonwealth’s 11 metropolitan statistical areas saw an increase in their jobless rates during the month. Rates were unchanged in three other areas and declined in two regions.

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

In most regions, the change in rates was slight, one-tenth to two-tenths of a percentage point. The exception was the New River Valley (Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford) where the jobless rate climbed 1.4 percentage points, from 4.6 to 6 percent. No other region had an unemployment rate above 4.7 percent.

Four metro areas— Northern Virginia, Charlottesville, Winchester and Staunton-Waynesboro — posted numbers under 4 percent.

The comparable unemployment rates for the Virginia and the U.S. were 4.1 percent and 5 percent, figures that also are not seasonally adjusted.

A breakdown of metro jobless rates shows:

Bristol: 4.7 percent in August, down from 4.8 percent in July.

Charlottesville: 3.6 percent, unchanged.

Hampton Roads: 4.7 percent, up from 4.6 percent.

Harrisonburg: 4.2 percent, down from 4.4 percent.

Lynchburg: 4.7 percent, unchanged.

New River Valley: 6 percent, up from 4.6 percent.

Northern Virginia: 3.3 percent, up from 3.2 percent.

Richmond: 4.2 percent, up from 4.1 percent.

Roanoke: 4 percent, up from 3.9 percent.

Staunton-Waynesboro: 3.8 percent, up from 3.7 percent.

Winchester: 3.5 percent, unchanged.