Counties with the highest unemployment in Virginia

Written by:
Stacker
May 3, 2024
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Counties with the highest unemployment in Virginia

While today's unemployment rates are significantly lower than the COVID-19 pandemic peak of 14.7% experienced in April 2020, the fear of job losses remains as workers stare down an uncertain economic future.

Stacker compiled a list of counties with the highest unemployment rates in Virginia using Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Counties are ranked by their preliminary unemployment rate in March 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.

Experts have mixed views of a potential recession. The return of student loan payments, continually high gas prices, persistent inflation, and insurance price escalations are just a few of the factors that could limit consumer spending and potentially prompt another recession.

The last economic recession before the pandemic—the Great Recession of 2007-09—sent unemployment rates up to 10% as of October 2009, and a full recovery took years.

But as of April 2024, the national unemployment rate remains relatively low at 3.9%—up slightly from the previous month. Regional and state employment varies widely depending on local economies. Seasonally adjusted unemployment rates by state demonstrate a rather sizable spectrum, ranging from just 2% in North Dakota to 5.3% in California.

Read on to see the counties with the highest unemployment in Virginia.

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Adam Mustafa // Shutterstock

#50. Montgomery County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.4%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 56,009 people (1,320 unemployed)

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OJUP // Shutterstock

#49. Chesterfield County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.4%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 201,548 people (4,937 unemployed)

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#48. Bland County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.5%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,915 people (73 unemployed)

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#47. Nottoway County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.5%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,424 people (184 unemployed)

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#46. Scott County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.5%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.7 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 9,325 people (229 unemployed)

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#45. Goochland County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.5%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 12,328 people (304 unemployed)

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Felix Mizioznikov // Shutterstock

#44. Wythe County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.5%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 14,571 people (361 unemployed)

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#43. Amherst County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.5%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 15,077 people (378 unemployed)

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Kristi Blokhin // Shutterstock

#42. Orange County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.5%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 17,918 people (451 unemployed)

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#41. Franklin County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.5%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 27,485 people (680 unemployed)

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#40. Stafford County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.5%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 77,677 people (1,950 unemployed)

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#39. Henrico County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.5%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 192,942 people (4,745 unemployed)

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#38. Cumberland County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.6%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.9 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,898 people (125 unemployed)

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#37. Dinwiddie County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.6%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 14,278 people (378 unemployed)

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#36. Spotsylvania County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.6%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 71,344 people (1,866 unemployed)

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#35. Charlotte County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.7%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.8 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,263 people (143 unemployed)

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#34. Amelia County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.7%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,483 people (177 unemployed)

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Carolyn M Carpenter // Shutterstock

#33. Caroline County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.7%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 15,923 people (428 unemployed)

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#32. Campbell County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.7%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.7 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 26,361 people (711 unemployed)

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#31. Pittsylvania County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.7%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 31,372 people (840 unemployed)

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#30. Richmond County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.8%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,032 people (114 unemployed)

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#29. Patrick County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.8%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.9 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,214 people (205 unemployed)

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#28. Russell County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.8%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.9 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 11,098 people (311 unemployed)

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#27. Charles City County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.0%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,709 people (112 unemployed)

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#26. Mecklenburg County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.0%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 13,549 people (404 unemployed)

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#25. Greensville County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,291 people (134 unemployed)

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#24. Appomattox County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.7 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,265 people (222 unemployed)

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#23. Lee County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,365 people (263 unemployed)

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#22. Westmoreland County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.8 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 9,569 people (296 unemployed)

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Nolichuckyjake // Shutterstock

#21. Smyth County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: No change
- Total labor force: 14,126 people (440 unemployed)

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#20. Accomack County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.8 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 16,088 people (494 unemployed)

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Lekali Studio // Shutterstock

#19. Prince George County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 16,001 people (497 unemployed)

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#18. Henry County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 24,311 people (751 unemployed)

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#17. Lunenburg County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: No change
- Total labor force: 5,377 people (171 unemployed)

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#16. Northampton County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.9 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,463 people (173 unemployed)

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ThomasPerkins.org // Shutterstock

#15. Alleghany County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1-month change: Down 1.0 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,501 people (210 unemployed)

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#14. Carroll County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.7 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 12,950 people (412 unemployed)

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Katssoup // Shutterstock

#13. Wise County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.8 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 12,943 people (428 unemployed)

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#12. Essex County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.9 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,738 people (196 unemployed)

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Joseph Sohm // // Shutterstock

#11. Buckingham County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: Down 1.0 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,775 people (240 unemployed)

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Lekali Studio // Shutterstock

#10. Prince Edward County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 10,374 people (365 unemployed)

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#9. Sussex County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,701 people (134 unemployed)

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#8. Dickenson County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: Down 1.0 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,673 people (168 unemployed)

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#7. Buchanan County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: Down 1.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,449 people (233 unemployed)

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#6. Page County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.8 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 12,740 people (462 unemployed)

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#5. Tazewell County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.7 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 15,595 people (562 unemployed)

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#4. Halifax County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 15,759 people (568 unemployed)

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#3. Brunswick County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,062 people (229 unemployed)

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#2. Lancaster County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.0%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.8 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,840 people (231 unemployed)

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#1. Northumberland County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: Down 1.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,723 people (259 unemployed)

This story features data reporting by Paxtyn Merten and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.

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