Historical data
Pick an indicator to see its long-run evolution.
Unemployment rate
1976–2024BLS state series; Virginia consistently below the national rate.
Employment
People at work.
Total nonfarm payroll jobs
1990–2025BLS Current Employment Statistics, annual average (FRED VANA).
| Indicator | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| Employment (M) | 4.39 | 161.3 |
- •Fairfax County alone accounts for roughly a sixth of all jobs in Virginia.
Unemployment
Joblessness.
Unemployment rate
1976–2024BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, annual average of seasonally adjusted months (FRED VAUR).
| Indicator | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| Unemployment rate (%) | 2.9 | 4.1 |
- •Virginia's unemployment rate is consistently among the ten lowest in the nation.
Labor Force
Size of the working population.
Civilian labor force
1976–2024BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, annual average (FRED VALF).
| Indicator | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| Labor force (M) | 4.53 | 168.3 |
- •About one in five Virginia jobs is tied directly or indirectly to federal spending.
Occupations
Largest job categories.
Workers in management, business, science and arts occupations
2008–2024Census American Community Survey 1-year estimates, civilian employed 16+, C24010 (2020 not released).
| Indicator | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing share of jobs (%) | 5.9 | 8.0 |
- •Virginia has the highest share of workers with security clearances of any state.
Salaries
Pay levels.
Average weekly earnings, private sector
2007–2025BLS Current Employment Statistics, annual average (FRED SMU51000000500000011).
Average hourly earnings, private sector
2007–2025BLS Current Employment Statistics, annual average (FRED SMU51000000500000003).
| Indicator | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| Median annual wage (USD) | 52900 | 48060 |
- •Virginia's average wage is inflated by the country's largest concentration of federal contractors and cleared IT workers.
Remote Work
Working from home.
Workers who work from home
2006–2024Census American Community Survey 1-year estimates, share of workers 16+, B08301 (2020 not released).
| Indicator | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| Remote work share (%) | 24 | 18 |
- •Virginia has one of the highest remote-work rates in the country thanks to federal and tech employment.
Workforce Participation
Share of adults in the labor force.
Labor force participation rate
1976–2024BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, annual average (FRED LBSSA51).
| Indicator | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| Labor force participation (%) | 65.9 | 62.6 |
- •Virginia's labor force participation is well above the U.S. average, led by Northern Virginia.