Metro unemployment rates climb in January

Published March 21, 2014 by Robert Powell, III

Unadjusted jobless rates rose sharply in January in comparison to December, according to the Virginia Employment Commission.

Unemployment rates rose in all of the commonwealth’s metropolitan areas during the month.

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

Statewide and national unemployment statistics typically are seasonally adjusted.

The rate increases ranged from three tenths of a percentage point in Northern Virginia and the Charlottesville area to 1.2 percentage points in the Danville area.

Northern Virginia continued to record the lowest employment rate, 4.2 percent, while the Danville area had the highest rate, 7.6 percent.

The Charlottesville and Harrisonburg areas both recorded jobless rates of less than 5 percent.

Here’s a rundown of the 11 metro areas:

Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford: 5.7 percent in January, up from 5 percent in December.
Bristol: 6.7 percent, up from 6.2 percent.
Charlottesville: 4.3 percent, up from 4 percent.
Danville: 7.6 percent, up from 6.4 percent
Harrisonburg: 4.8 percent, up from 4.4 percent.
Hampton Roads: 5.9 percent, up from 5.3 percent.
Lynchburg: 5.8 percent, up from 5.3 percent.
Northern Virginia: 4.2 percent, up from 3.9 percent.
Richmond: 5.6 percent, up from 5.2 percent.
Roanoke: 5.6 percent, up from 4.9 percent.
Winchester: 5 percent, up from 4.4 percent.