Virginia’s April Unemployment Rate at 3.3 percent; Labor Force Participation Rate is 65.4 percent

RICHMOND— Virginia Works – the Commonwealth’s Department of Workforce Development and Advancement – announced today that Virginia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in April increased by 0.1 percentage points to 3.3 percent, which is 0.5 percentage points above the rate from a year ago. According to household survey data in April, the labor force decreased by 7,540 to 4,579,104 as the number of unemployed residents increased by 6,305 to 151,942. The number of employed residents decreased by 13,845 to 4,427,162 according to the Local Area Unemployment Statistics (“the household survey”). Virginia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate is 0.9 percentage points below the national rate, which remained unchanged at 4.2 percent.

The Commonwealth’s labor force participation rate decreased by 0.1 percentage points to 65.4 percent in April. The labor force participation rate measures the proportion of the civilian population age 16 and older that is employed or actively looking for work.

In April’s Current Employment Statistics Survey, Virginia’s nonagricultural employment increased by 500 to 4,272,700. March’s preliminary estimate of employment, after revision, increased by 800 to 4,272,200. In April, private sector employment increased by 1,100 to 3,510,600 while government employment decreased by 600 to 762,100. Within that sector, federal government jobs decreased by 900 to 191,600, state government employment remained unchanged at 161,300, and local government increased by 300 to 409,200 over the month.

Seasonally adjusted total non-farm employment data is produced for eleven industry sectors. In April, three experienced over-the-month job gains, two remained unchanged, and six experienced a decline. The largest job gain occurred in Construction (+4,300) to 228,400. The second largest job gain occurred in Leisure and Hospitality (+700) to 418,700. The third largest job gain occurred in Information (+400) to 70,600.

The largest job loss occurred in Manufacturing (-1,300) to 242,900. The second largest job loss occurred in Professional and Business Services (-1,300) to 807,000. The third largest job loss occurred in Education and Health Services (-1,100) to 630,400. The other losses were in Government (-600) to 762,100; Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-500) to 679,800; and Mining and Logging (-100) to 7,100.

Financial Activities and Miscellaneous Services remained unchanged.

*Current month’s estimates are preliminary.

From April 2024 to April 2025, Virginia Works estimates that total nonfarm employment in Virginia increased by 47,900 to 4,272,700, private sector employment increased by 35,600 to 3,510,600, and government employment increased by 12,300 to 762,100 jobs. Within that sector, federal government jobs decreased by 1,100 to 191,600, state government employment increased by 2,600 to 161,300, and local government increased by 10,800 to 409,200 over the year.

For the eleven industry sectors in Virginia over the year, eight experienced over-the-year job gains, and three experienced a decline. The largest job gain occurred in Education and Health Services (+26,100) to 630,400. The second largest job gain occurred in Government (+12,300) to 762,100. The third largest job gain occurred in Construction (+10,500) to 228,400. The other gains were in Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (+3,200) to 679,800; Leisure and Hospitality (+1,700) to 418,700; Information (+500) to 70,600; Miscellaneous Services (+500) to 204,700; and Financial Activities (+100) to 221,000.

The largest job loss occurred in Professional and Business Services (-5,200) to 807,000. The second largest job loss occurred in Manufacturing (-1,600) to 242,900. The third largest job loss occurred in Mining and Logging (-200) to 7,100.

*Current month’s estimates are preliminary.

Seasonally adjusted total nonfarm employment data is produced for ten metropolitan areas. In April, four experienced over-the-month job gains, and six experienced a decline. The largest job gain occurred in Richmond (+4,100) to 728,200. The second largest job gain occurred in Staunton (+200) to 54,300. The third largest job gain occurred in Charlottesville (+100) to 126,300. The other gain was in Winchester (+100) to 74,100.

The largest job loss occurred in Arlington-Alexandria (-900) to 1,634,000. The second largest job loss occurred in Harrisonburg (-500) to 70,300. The third largest job loss occurred in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk (-400) to 823,900. The other losses were in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford (-200) to 81,700, Lynchburg (-200) to 104,600, and Roanoke (-200) to 168,300.

Over the year, seven metro areas experienced over-the-year job gains, and three experienced a decline. The largest job gain occurred in Arlington-Alexandria (+21,800) to 1,634,000. The second largest job gain occurred in Richmond (+11,600) to 728,200. The third largest job gain occurred in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk (+2,200) to 823,900. The other gains were in Charlottesville (+2,100) to 126,300, Winchester (+1,000) to 74,100, Roanoke (+900) to 168,300, and Staunton (+100) to 54,300.

The largest job loss occurred in Harrisonburg (-1,700) to 70,300. The second largest job loss occurred in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford (-1,500) to 81,700. The third largest job loss occurred in Lynchburg (-100) to 104,600.

Not Seasonally Adjusted Data

Virginia’s unadjusted unemployment rate decreased by 0.2 percentage points to 3.3 percent in April. It has increased by 0.9 percentage points to 3.3 percent compared to last year. Compared to a year ago, the number of unemployed increased by 40,350 to 152,586, household employment decreased by 60,461 to 4,412,512, and the labor force decreased by 20,111 to 4,565,098. Virginia’s not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate is 0.6 percentage points below the national unadjusted rate, which decreased by 0.3 percentage points to 3.9 percent.

Compared to last month, the April unadjusted workweek for Virginia’s 156,700 manufacturing production workers decreased by 0.2 to 39.1 hours. Average hourly earnings of private-sector production workers increased by $0.14 to $28.41, and average weekly earnings decreased by $0.18 to $1,110.83.

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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 April 2020, refer to the BLS April Employment Situation press release for details.

The statistical reference week for the household survey this month was the week of April 6-12, 2025

Apr 25 CES Distribution Publication File