Department of Numbers

Richmond, Virginia Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Richmond fell 0.0 percentage points in February 2021 to 5.8%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.6 percentage points higher than the Virginia rate. The unemployment rate in Richmond peaked in April 2020 at 11.7% and is now 5.9 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 5.2% in November 2020, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.6 percentage points. You can also compare Richmond unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate February 2021 Month/Month Year/Year
National 6.2% -0.1 +2.7
Virginia 5.2% -0.1 +2.7
Richmond 5.8% 0.0 +3.0
Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.1 All comparisons are made with February 2021 data as March metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Richmond, Virginia, National

Richmond, Virginia monthly unemployment rate chart

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Richmond, Virginia Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Richmond peaked in April 2020 at 78,089. There are now 40,249 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 34,124 in November 2020, the number of unemployed has now grown by 3,716. Richmond employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Richmond, Virginia) is also available.

Unemployed Persons February 2021 Month/Month Year/Year
Richmond 37,840 -166 +18,496

Number of Unemployed Persons

Richmond, Virginia Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate		 Virginia
Unemployment Rate		 Richmond
Unemployment Rate		 Richmond
Unemployed
March
2021		 6.0% — — —
February
2021		 6.2% 5.2% 5.8% 37,840
January
2021		 6.3% 5.3% 5.8% 38,006
December
2020		 6.7% 5.6% 5.2% 34,259
November
2020		 6.7% 5.8% 5.2% 34,124
October
2020		 6.9% 6.1% 5.8% 38,411
September
2020		 7.8% 6.6% 6.9% 46,039
August
2020		 8.4% 7.0% 6.9% 46,360
July
2020		 10.2% 7.9% 8.9% 59,523
June
2020		 11.1% 8.8% 8.9% 59,553
May
2020		 13.3% 8.5% 9.7% 65,011
April
2020		 14.8% 11.3% 11.7% 78,089

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. ↩

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