(STACKER) — Unemployment rates have continued to rise across U.S. metropolitan areas, provoking alarm throughout the nation and guiding the Federal Reserve’s decision to cut interest rates last month.
As of August, unemployment rates had increased from the previous year in 315 out of 389 U.S. metros areas—including 45 of the 51 largest metros, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
To get a glimpse of regional variations in employment, Stacker compiled a list of counties with the highest unemployment rates in Virginia, using BLS data. Counties are ranked by their preliminary unemployment rate in August 2024, with initial ties broken by the number of unemployed people within that county, though some ties may remain. County-level unemployment rates are not seasonally adjusted.
The national unemployment rate remains relatively low at 4.1% in September, down slightly from the previous month. Still, it’s up substantially from 3.8% during the same month last year and remains higher than it had otherwise been since December 2021. By comparison, unemployment rates surged to 10% in October 2009 during the Great Recession, and a full recovery took years. At the height of the brief COVID-19 recession in April 2020, unemployment hit 14.7%.
The Federal Reserve has shifted its focus from curbing inflation to unemployment, cutting interest rates to alleviate economic strain and spur job growth.
Since last year, unemployment has spiked in half of states—a signal often indicating a looming recession, as Piper Sandler Chief Global Economist Nancy Lazar told Business Insider. These jobless rates, paired with layoffs among major U.S. employers like Google and Tesla, have sparked concern among Americans. Minus a major economic blow, economists continue to forecast that the U.S. is tracking toward an incremental slowdown in growth known as a “soft landing.” The Fed plans to continue cutting rates to achieve this.
To get a better idea of your community’s current economy, read on to see the counties with the highest unemployment in Virginia.
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#50. Lancaster County
– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
— 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
– Total labor force: 5,778 people (202 unemployed)
#49. Page County
– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
— 1-month change: No change
— 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
– Total labor force: 12,910 people (450 unemployed)
#48. Culpeper County
– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 26,326 people (918 unemployed)
#47. Washington County
– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
— 1-month change: No change
— 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
– Total labor force: 26,903 people (931 unemployed)
#46. Bedford County
– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
— 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
– Total labor force: 39,309 people (1,383 unemployed)
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#45. Lunenburg County
– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
— 1-month change: No change
— 1-year change: Down 0.1 percentage points
– Total labor force: 5,370 people (196 unemployed)
#44. Caroline County
– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
– Total labor force: 16,013 people (584 unemployed)
#43. Accomack County
– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
— 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
– Total labor force: 16,603 people (593 unemployed)
#42. Franklin County
– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
– Total labor force: 27,482 people (992 unemployed)
#41. Stafford County
– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
– Total labor force: 77,885 people (2,791 unemployed)
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#40. Craig County
– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
– Total labor force: 2,397 people (88 unemployed)
#39. Northumberland County
– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
— 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
– Total labor force: 5,642 people (211 unemployed)
#38. Northampton County
– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
— 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 5,998 people (219 unemployed)
#37. Amelia County
– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
– Total labor force: 6,580 people (242 unemployed)
#36. Westmoreland County
– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
— 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
– Total labor force: 9,734 people (356 unemployed)
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#35. Campbell County
– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
— 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
– Total labor force: 26,339 people (977 unemployed)
#34. Pittsylvania County
– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
— 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 31,374 people (1,148 unemployed)
#33. Spotsylvania County
– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
– Total labor force: 71,502 people (2,637 unemployed)
#32. Charles City County
– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 3,769 people (143 unemployed)
#31. Cumberland County
– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: No change
– Total labor force: 4,929 people (187 unemployed)
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#30. Smyth County
– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
— 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 13,970 people (536 unemployed)
#29. Amherst County
– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
– Total labor force: 15,147 people (569 unemployed)
#28. Montgomery County
– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
– Total labor force: 53,625 people (2,020 unemployed)
#27. Charlotte County
– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
— 1-month change: No change
— 1-year change: Down 0.2 percentage points
– Total labor force: 5,311 people (209 unemployed)
#26. Giles County
– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
— 1-month change: Up 0.5 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
– Total labor force: 8,364 people (323 unemployed)
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#25. Scott County
– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
– Total labor force: 9,412 people (371 unemployed)
#24. Dinwiddie County
– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
– Total labor force: 14,415 people (564 unemployed)
#23. Essex County
– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.0%
— 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: No change
– Total labor force: 5,713 people (228 unemployed)
#22. Alleghany County
– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.0%
— 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
– Total labor force: 6,371 people (257 unemployed)
#21. Mecklenburg County
– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.0%
— 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
– Total labor force: 13,576 people (544 unemployed)
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#20. Patrick County
– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
— 1-month change: No change
— 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
– Total labor force: 7,252 people (294 unemployed)
#19. Appomattox County
– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: No change
– Total labor force: 7,315 people (297 unemployed)
#18. Wythe County
– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
— 1-month change: Up 0.7 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
– Total labor force: 14,586 people (595 unemployed)
#17. Greensville County
– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.1 percentage points
– Total labor force: 4,297 people (182 unemployed)
#16. Buckingham County
– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
– Total labor force: 6,719 people (281 unemployed)
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#15. Russell County
– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
– Total labor force: 10,807 people (459 unemployed)
#14. Henry County
– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
— 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 24,283 people (1,010 unemployed)
#13. Grayson County
– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
— 1-month change: Up 1.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 8,421 people (358 unemployed)
#12. Prince George County
– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
— 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 16,128 people (694 unemployed)
#11. Pulaski County
– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
— 1-month change: Up 1.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 17,209 people (735 unemployed)
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#10. Lee County
– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
– Total labor force: 8,171 people (365 unemployed)
#9. Tazewell County
– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.9%
— 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
– Total labor force: 15,061 people (740 unemployed)
#8. Halifax County
– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.9%
— 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
– Total labor force: 15,822 people (769 unemployed)
#7. Buchanan County
– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.1%
— 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
– Total labor force: 6,234 people (320 unemployed)
#6. Brunswick County
– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.2%
— 1-month change: Up 0.5 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 6,028 people (316 unemployed)
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#5. Wise County
– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.2%
— 1-month change: No change
— 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 12,597 people (652 unemployed)
#4. Dickenson County
– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.3%
— 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
– Total labor force: 4,653 people (246 unemployed)
#3. Prince Edward County
– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.3%
— 1-month change: No change
— 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
– Total labor force: 10,491 people (556 unemployed)
#2. Sussex County
– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.4%
— 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.1 percentage points
– Total labor force: 3,899 people (209 unemployed)
#1. Carroll County
– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.5%
— 1-month change: Up 1.4 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
– Total labor force: 12,935 people (709 unemployed)
This story features data reporting and writing by Paxtyn Merten and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.
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This article has been re-published pursuant to a CC BY-NC 4.0 License