July unemployment data

BY BILL FREEHLING

Date published: 8/30/2007

BY BILL FREEHLING

Virginia's July unemployment rate was the lowest for that month in seven years, according to the Virginia Employment Commission.

The state jobless rate fell to 3.1 percent in July, down from 3.2 percent the month before. The 3.1 percent rate is the lowest July jobless figure since 2000.

VEC Chief Economist William Mezger attributed the low rate to few students seeking jobs. He noted that most students have either found employment or have stopped looking by July.

In spite of weakness in residential home building, construction employment set a record in Virginia last month. Mezger attributed that to a large amount of commercial construction in the state.

Fauquier, Orange, Spotsylvania and Stafford counties all had unemployment rates in July that were below the statewide figure, while King George County had the same 3.1 percent rate as Virginia.

Jobless rates in both Fredericksburg and Westmoreland County were 4 percent or higher, although the rates in both localities fell from the month before.

Caroline County had the most dramatic unemployment-rate change between July 2006 and July 2007. The jobless rate there went from 3.1 percent in July 2006 to 3.9 percent last month.

Virginia's overall unemployment rate was well below the national rate of 4.9 percent in July. Overall, Mezger called July "a very good month" for the state.

Locality (July, '07) (June, '07) (July, '06) Fredericksburg 4.3% 4.4% 4.1% Stafford 2.7% 2.7% 2.6% Spotsylvania 2.6% 2.7% 2.6% Caroline 3.9% 3.8% 3.1% King George 3.1% 3.2% 3.3% Westmoreland 4.0% 4.2% 3.9% Orange 3.0% 3.3% 3.0% Fauquier 2.5% 2.7% 2.6% Culpeper 3.4% 3.6% 3.2%

Date published: 8/30/2007