Department of Numbers

Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, Virginia Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Virginia Beach fell 0.0 percentage points in November 2023 to 3.2%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.3 percentage points higher than the Virginia rate. The unemployment rate in Virginia Beach peaked in April 2020 at 12.8% and is now 9.6 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 2.9% in February 2022, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.3 percentage points. You can also compare Virginia Beach unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate November 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
National 3.7% -0.1 +0.1
Virginia 2.9% +0.2 -0.3
Virginia Beach 3.2% 0.0 -0.2
Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.1 All comparisons are made with November 2023 data as December metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Virginia Beach, Virginia, National

Virginia Beach, Virginia monthly unemployment rate chart

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Virginia Beach, Virginia Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Virginia Beach peaked in April 2020 at 107,614. There are now 79,062 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 24,984 in March 2022, the number of unemployed has now grown by 3,568. Virginia Beach employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Virginia Beach, Virginia) is also available.

Unemployed Persons November 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
Virginia Beach 28,552 +674 -490

Number of Unemployed Persons

Virginia Beach, Virginia Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate
Virginia
Unemployment Rate
Virginia Beach
Unemployment Rate
Virginia Beach
Unemployed
December
2023
3.7%
November
2023
3.7% 2.9% 3.2% 28,552
October
2023
3.8% 2.7% 3.2% 27,878
September
2023
3.8% 2.5% 3.1% 26,878
August
2023
3.8% 2.5% 2.9% 25,848
July
2023
3.5% 2.5% 2.9% 25,562
June
2023
3.6% 2.7% 3.0% 26,185
May
2023
3.7% 2.9% 3.0% 26,667
April
2023
3.4% 3.1% 3.1% 27,050
March
2023
3.5% 3.2% 3.2% 27,451
February
2023
3.6% 3.2% 3.2% 27,987
January
2023
3.4% 3.2% 3.3% 28,685

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.