Roanoke, Virginia Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Roanoke fell 0.1 percentage points in August 2019 to 2.7%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.1 percentage points lower than the Virginia rate. The unemployment rate in Roanoke peaked in December 2009 at 8.0% and is now 5.3 percentage points lower. You can also compare Roanoke unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate	August 2019	Month/Month	Year/Year
National	3.7%	0.0	-0.1
Virginia	2.8%	-0.1	0.0
Roanoke	2.7%	-0.1	-0.2

Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.¹ All comparisons are made with August 2019 data as September metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Roanoke, Virginia, National

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Roanoke, Virginia Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Roanoke peaked in February 2010 at 12,581. There are now 8,219 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 4,346 in January 2019, the number of unemployed has now grown by 16. Roanoke employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Roanoke, Virginia) is also available.

Unemployed Persons	August 2019	Month/Month	Year/Year
Roanoke	4,362	-83	-105

Number of Unemployed Persons

Roanoke, Virginia Unemployment History

Date	National Unemployment Rate	Virginia Unemployment Rate	Roanoke Unemployment Rate	Roanoke Unemployed
September 2019	3.5%	2.7%	—	—
August 2019	3.7%	2.8%	2.7%	4,362
July 2019	3.7%	2.9%	2.8%	4,445
June 2019	3.7%	2.9%	2.8%	4,480
May 2019	3.6%	3.0%	2.8%	4,487
April 2019	3.6%	2.9%	2.8%	4,447
March 2019	3.8%	2.9%	2.8%	4,436
February 2019	3.8%	2.9%	2.8%	4,375
January 2019	4.0%	2.8%	2.8%	4,346
December 2018	3.9%	2.8%	2.8%	4,376
November 2018	3.7%	2.8%	2.8%	4,366
October 2018	3.8%	2.8%	2.8%	4,363