Roanoke, Virginia Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Roanoke fell 1.4 percentage points in May 2020 to 9.5%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.5 percentage points higher than the Virginia rate. The unemployment rate in Roanoke peaked in April 2020 at 10.9% and is now 1.4 percentage points lower. You can also compare Roanoke unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate	May 2020	Month/Month	Year/Year
National	13.3%	-1.4	+9.7
Virginia	9.0%	-2.2	+6.2
Roanoke	9.5%	-1.4	+6.7

Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.¹ All comparisons are made with May 2020 data as June 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 April 2020 at 16,889. There are now 2,417 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. Roanoke employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Roanoke, Virginia) is also available.

Unemployed Persons	May 2020	Month/Month	Year/Year
Roanoke	14,472	-2,417	+10,092

Number of Unemployed Persons

Roanoke, Virginia Unemployment History

Date	National Unemployment Rate	Virginia Unemployment Rate	Roanoke Unemployment Rate	Roanoke Unemployed
July 2020	10.2%	—	—	—
June 2020	11.1%	8.4%	—	—
May 2020	13.3%	9.0%	9.5%	14,472
April 2020	14.7%	11.2%	10.9%	16,889
March 2020	4.4%	3.3%	3.5%	5,506
February 2020	3.5%	2.6%	2.7%	4,372
January 2020	3.6%	2.7%	2.8%	4,419
December 2019	3.5%	2.7%	2.8%	4,394
November 2019	3.5%	2.7%	2.8%	4,399
October 2019	3.6%	2.7%	2.8%	4,398
September 2019	3.5%	2.7%	2.8%	4,392
August 2019	3.7%	2.7%	2.8%	4,380