Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, Virginia Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Blacksburg fell 0.1 percentage points in December 2011 to 6.9%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.7 percentage points higher than the Virginia rate. The unemployment rate in Blacksburg peaked in November 2009 at 9.0% and is now 2.1 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 6.7% in April 2011, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.2 percentage points. You can also compare Blacksburg unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate	December 2011	Month/Month	Year/Year
National	8.5%	-0.2	-0.9
Virginia	6.2%	0.0	-0.4
Blacksburg	6.9%	-0.1	-1.2

Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.¹ All comparisons are made with December 2011 data as January metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Blacksburg, Virginia, National

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Blacksburg, Virginia Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Blacksburg peaked in November 2009 at 7,218. There are now 1,486 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 5,314 in April 2011, the number of unemployed has now grown by 418. Blacksburg employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Blacksburg, Virginia) is also available.

Unemployed Persons	December 2011	Month/Month	Year/Year
Blacksburg	5,732	-3	-747

Number of Unemployed Persons

Blacksburg, Virginia Unemployment History

Date	National Unemployment Rate	Virginia Unemployment Rate	Blacksburg Unemployment Rate	Blacksburg Unemployed
January 2012	8.3%	—	—	—
December 2011	8.5%	6.2%	6.9%	5,732
November 2011	8.7%	6.2%	7.0%	5,735
October 2011	8.9%	6.4%	7.2%	5,866
September 2011	9.0%	6.5%	7.1%	5,729
August 2011	9.1%	6.3%	6.8%	5,433
July 2011	9.1%	6.1%	6.7%	5,315
June 2011	9.1%	6.0%	6.7%	5,338
May 2011	9.0%	6.0%	6.8%	5,354
April 2011	9.0%	6.1%	6.7%	5,314
March 2011	8.9%	6.2%	6.9%	5,443
February 2011	9.0%	6.4%	7.3%	5,802
January 2011	9.1%	6.5%	7.8%	6,234