By Randy Arrington
LURAY, Sept. 28 — The Virginia Employment Commission released August 2022 Local Area Unemployment Rates on Wednesday, which show Page County’s jobless claims rose in August as the overall workforce and jobs shrunk. Unemployment rose in month-to-month comparisons across the region and across the commonwealth from July to August.
With 406 claims for unemployment insurance among a workforce of 12,806 — Page County reported a jobless rate of 3.2 percent for August 2022. A slight increase from July’s reported 2.9 percent. January’s 4.3 percent unemployment still stands as the highest of 2022 for Page. The lowest rate was April’s 2.8 percent.
Employment in Page County totaled 12,400 for August — a decrease of 249 jobs from July’s adjusted employment total of 12,649. There were also 30 more unemployment claims filed in August versus the previous month. The civilian workforce in the county shrank by 219.
In August 2021, the county’s jobless rate stood at 4.2 percent with 508 unemployment claims filed. This August, Page County had 928 more people employed than it did a year ago.
The Lord Fairfax Planning District reported a regional unemployment rate of 2.81 percent for August 2022, a slight increase from July’s 2.56 percent. The planning district reported a jobless rate of 3.25 percent in August 2021 with 4,038 claims for unemployment insurance, compared to 3,597 this August.
Arlington County reported the lowest unemployment rate in Virginia for August at 2.2 percent. The City of Petersburg continued to report the highest unemployment rate in the commonwealth at 7.9 percent — a one-percent increase from last month.
Here’s a look at August 2022 unemployment rates across the region and rankings among Virginia’s 133 localities:
• 2.3% — Madison County, 2nd
• 2.6% — Frederick County, 8th
• 2.8% — Clarke, Rappahannock, Rockingham and Shenandoah counties, 20th
• 3.0% — Warren County and City of Winchester, 45th
• 3.2% — Page County, 61st
• 3.9% — City of Harrisonburg, 104th
Virginia posted a statewide unemployment rate of 3.2 percent for August 2022, up slightly from 2.9 percent the previous month. One year ago, the Commonwealth posted a jobless rate of 4.0 percent with 169,047 unemployment claims. Those claims dropped to 137,381 this August.
The U.S. unemployment rate for August 2022 stood at 3.8 percent, identical to June and July’s rate. Last year, U.S. unemployment for August was at 5.3 percent with 8.6 million out of work. This August, nationwide jobless claims dropped to 6.3 million — same as the previous month.
For additional information on unemployment insurance in Virginia, access the VEC’s U.I. claims data dashboard (https://www.vec.virginia.gov/ui-claims-dashboard)
•••
RELATED ARTICLES
Page County’s unemployment falls below 3% in July; jobs and workforce continue to grow
Page County’s unemployment steady at 3% for June; 336 more employed compared to May
Page County’s unemployment rises to 3% for May; 71 more employed, but 28 more jobless claims
Page County’s unemployment falls below 3% for April; 311 more employed, 68 fewer jobless claims
Page County’s unemployment falls to 3.3% for March; 192 jobs added, 87 fewer jobless claims
Page County’s unemployment rate falls to 4% for February, but still highest in region
Page County’s unemployment rate climbs to 4.3% for January
Be the first to comment