Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, Virginia Unemployment
The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Virginia Beach rose 0.1 percentage points in October 2023 to 3.2%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.5 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 | October 2023 | Month/Month | Year/Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| National | 3.9% | +0.1 | +0.2 |
| Virginia | 2.7% | +0.2 | -0.4 |
| Virginia Beach | 3.2% | +0.1 | -0.2 |
Unemployment Rate: Virginia Beach, Virginia, National
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 79,750 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 2,880. Virginia Beach employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Virginia Beach, Virginia) is also available.
| Unemployed Persons | October 2023 | Month/Month | Year/Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach | 27,864 | +986 | -1,312 |
Number of Unemployed Persons
Virginia Beach, Virginia Unemployment History
| Date | National Unemployment Rate |
Virginia Unemployment Rate |
Virginia Beach Unemployment Rate |
Virginia Beach Unemployed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| November 2023 |
3.7% | — | — | — |
| October 2023 |
3.9% | 2.7% | 3.2% | 27,864 |
| 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 |
| December 2022 |
3.5% | 3.1% | 3.4% | 28,930 |
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. ↩
Department of Numbers
The Department of Numbers contextualizes public data so that individuals can form independent opinions on everyday social and economic matters.
