Department of Numbers

Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, Virginia Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Blacksburg fell 0.4 percentage points in April 2013 to 6.1%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.9 percentage points higher than the Virginia rate. The unemployment rate in Blacksburg peaked in January 2010 at 9.1% and is now 3.0 percentage points lower. You can also compare Blacksburg unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate April 2013 Month/Month Year/Year
National 7.5% -0.1 -0.6
Virginia 5.2% -0.1 -0.7
Blacksburg 6.1% -0.4 -0.3
Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.1 All comparisons are made with April 2013 data as May metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Blacksburg, Virginia, National

Blacksburg, Virginia monthly unemployment rate chart

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Blacksburg, Virginia Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Blacksburg peaked in April 2009 at 7,264. There are now 2,170 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. Blacksburg employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Blacksburg, Virginia) is also available.

Unemployed Persons April 2013 Month/Month Year/Year
Blacksburg 5,094 -283 -148

Number of Unemployed Persons

Blacksburg, Virginia Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate
Virginia
Unemployment Rate
Blacksburg
Unemployment Rate
Blacksburg
Unemployed
May
2013
7.6%
April
2013
7.5% 5.2% 6.1% 5,094
March
2013
7.6% 5.3% 6.5% 5,377
February
2013
7.7% 5.6% 6.9% 5,764
January
2013
7.9% 5.6% 6.7% 5,603
December
2012
7.8% 5.6% 6.2% 5,130
November
2012
7.8% 5.7% 6.3% 5,201
October
2012
7.9% 5.8% 6.4% 5,281
September
2012
7.8% 5.9% 6.5% 5,366
August
2012
8.1% 5.9% 6.6% 5,440
July
2012
8.2% 6.0% 6.7% 5,472
June
2012
8.2% 6.0% 6.6% 5,436
May
2012
8.2% 5.9% 6.6% 5,347

1. Metro area unemployment rates are now seasonally adjusted. The BLS has started publishing smoothed seasonally adjusted metropolitan area data which makes comparisons to state and national data more relevant than the unadjusted numbers.