Department of Numbers

Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, Virginia Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Blacksburg fell 0.1 percentage points in March 2023 to 2.8%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.4 percentage points lower than the Virginia rate. The unemployment rate in Blacksburg peaked in April 2020 at 12.2% and is now 9.4 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 2.6% in December 2021, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.2 percentage points. You can also compare Blacksburg unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate March 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
National 3.5% -0.1 -0.1
Virginia 3.2% 0.0 +0.4
Blacksburg 2.8% -0.1 +0.1
Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.1 All comparisons are made with March 2023 data as April 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 2020 at 10,710. There are now 8,009 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 2,367 in January 2022, the number of unemployed has now grown by 334. Blacksburg employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Blacksburg, Virginia) is also available.

Unemployed Persons March 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
Blacksburg 2,701 -112 +212

Number of Unemployed Persons

Blacksburg, Virginia Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate
Virginia
Unemployment Rate
Blacksburg
Unemployment Rate
Blacksburg
Unemployed
April
2023
3.4%
March
2023
3.5% 3.2% 2.8% 2,701
February
2023
3.6% 3.2% 2.9% 2,813
January
2023
3.4% 3.2% 3.1% 2,929
December
2022
3.5% 3.1% 3.1% 2,961
November
2022
3.6% 3.2% 3.1% 2,976
October
2022
3.7% 3.1% 3.1% 2,987
September
2022
3.5% 3.0% 3.1% 2,942
August
2022
3.7% 2.8% 3.0% 2,867
July
2022
3.5% 2.6% 3.0% 2,782
June
2022
3.6% 2.5% 2.9% 2,697
May
2022
3.6% 2.5% 2.8% 2,634

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.