Richmond, Virginia Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Richmond 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 Richmond peaked in November 2009 at 8.2% and is now 1.3 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 6.8% in April 2011, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.1 percentage points. You can also compare Richmond 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
Richmond	6.9%	-0.1	-0.6

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: Richmond, Virginia, National

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Richmond, Virginia Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Richmond peaked in December 2009 at 53,482. There are now 7,861 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 43,827 in May 2011, the number of unemployed has now grown by 1,794. Richmond employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Richmond, Virginia) is also available.

Unemployed Persons	December 2011	Month/Month	Year/Year
Richmond	45,621	-425	-3,511

Number of Unemployed Persons

Richmond, Virginia Unemployment History

Date	National Unemployment Rate	Virginia Unemployment Rate	Richmond Unemployment Rate	Richmond Unemployed
January 2012	8.3%	—	—	—
December 2011	8.5%	6.2%	6.9%	45,621
November 2011	8.7%	6.2%	7.0%	46,046
October 2011	8.9%	6.4%	7.2%	47,281
September 2011	9.0%	6.5%	7.2%	46,997
August 2011	9.1%	6.3%	7.0%	45,660
July 2011	9.1%	6.1%	6.9%	44,382
June 2011	9.1%	6.0%	6.8%	44,009
May 2011	9.0%	6.0%	6.8%	43,827
April 2011	9.0%	6.1%	6.8%	44,456
March 2011	8.9%	6.2%	7.0%	45,339
February 2011	9.0%	6.4%	7.2%	46,598
January 2011	9.1%	6.5%	7.4%	48,199