By Randy Arrington
LURAY, Nov. 5 — On Wednesday, the Virginia Employment Commission released September 2021 Local Area Unemployment Rates that show Page County’s jobless claims fell for a third-straight month, including more than a full point drop since July. Despite reporting the lowest rate in more than two years, Page continues to have the highest unemployment rate in the region, as one of only two localities currently above 3 percent.
With 446 claims for unemployment insurance among a workforce of 12,180 — Page County reported a jobless rate of 3.7 percent for September 2021. In August, that figure stood at 4.0 percent. Employment in the county totaled 11,734 for September — a decrease of 19 from August. There were 41 fewer unemployment claims filed.
In September 2020, the county’s jobless rate stood at 5.7 percent with 683 unemployment claims filed. This September, Page County had 537 more people employed than it did a year ago.
Page’s unemployment rate has generally declined throughout the year since starting at a peak of 7.8 percent in January.
During the initial surge of unemployment claims filed in late March 2020 and early April 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic first hit the region, Page County saw a peak of 556 claims filed in just one week (April 4, 2020). April 2020 saw a total of 1,507 claims for unemployment insurance filed in the county.
The Lord Fairfax Planning District reported a regional unemployment rate of 2.7 percent for September 2021, a decrease of three-tenths below August’s 3.0 percent. Every jurisdiction across the region saw drops in unemployment claims from August to September. The planning district reported a jobless rate of 4.9 percent in September 2020 with 6,105 claims for unemployment insurance, compared to 3,344 this September.
Falls Church City posted the lowest unemployment rate in the state for September at 2.0 percent. Neighboring Madison County tied with Arlington and King George for second at 2.2 percent. The City of Petersburg continued to report the highest unemployment rate in the commonwealth at 8.3 percent.
Here’s a look at September 2021 unemployment rates across the region and rankings among Virginia’s 133 localities:
• 2.2% — Madison County, 2nd
• 2.4% — Frederick, Rappahannock and Rockingham counties, 7th
• 2.6% — Clarke County, 20th
• 2.7% — Shenandoah County and City of Winchester, 27th
• 2.9% — Warren County, 40th
• 3.2% — City of Harrisonburg, 68th
• 3.7% — Page County, 95th
Virginia posted a statewide unemployment rate of 3.2 percent for September 2021, down from 3.8 percent in August. One year ago, the Commonwealth posted a jobless rate of 6.4 percent with 276,693 unemployment claims. Those claims dropped to 134,733 this September.
The U.S. unemployment rate for September 2021 stood at 4.6 percent, a decrease from August’s 5.3 percent. Last year, U.S. unemployment for September was 7.7 percent.
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 rate falls to 4% in August, local job workshops Saturday
Page County’s unemployment rate falls to 4.3% in July, lowest rate since November
Federal unemployment benefits end Sept. 4
Local housing market still hot as home sales outpace record year in 2020
Page County’s unemployment rate rises slightly to 4.8% in June
Page County’s unemployment rate declines for fourth-straight month to 4.5% in May
Page County’s unemployment rate declines for a third-straight month to 4.9% in April
Page County’s unemployment rate declines second-straight month to 6.4% in March
Page County’s unemployment rate declines a half-percent in February, but still at 7.1%
Page County unemployment climbs to 7.6% in January, remains highest in district
Virginia enacts permanent COVID-19 workplace safety, health standards
Be the first to comment