BY BILL FREEHLING
The local jobless rate dropped slightly in July, according to data released yesterday by the Virginia Employment Commission.
The unemployment rate was 5.9 percent in July in the George Washington Regional Commission planning area, which comprises Fredericksburg and Caroline, King George, Stafford and Spotsylvania counties.
That was down from 6.1 percent in June and 6.4 percent in July 2010.
The statewide jobless rate was 6.2 percent in July, which was ninth-best in the U.S. The nationwide rate was 9.3 percent that month.
The figures have not been adjusted for seasonal factors.
Like the region as a whole, most individual localities had jobless rates that were slightly lower than the tallies from the month and year before.
Fauquier County had the region's lowest jobless rate in July at 4.8 percent. That was tied for seventh-best among Virginia's 134 localities. Arlington placed first with a 3.7 percent rate.
Stafford and Spotsylvania, with jobless rates of 5.1 percent and 5.4 percent respectively, both placed in Virginia's top 20.
The city of Fredericksburg, at 9.6 percent, had the highest jobless rate in the region. Fredericksburg ranked 120th out of the state's 134 localities. Martinsville placed last.
That city's jobless rate in July was down from 10.3 percent the month before, however.
Bill Freehling: 540/374-5405
Email: bfreehling@freelancestar.com
LOCALITY
July '11
June '11
July '10
Fredericksburg
9.6%
10.3%
9.1%
Stafford
5.1%
5.2%
5.7%
Spotsylvania
5.4%
5.5%
5.8%
Caroline
7.7%
7.7%
8.7%
King George
7.0%
7.3%
7.8%
Westmoreland
7.0%
6.9%
7.5%
Orange
6.6%
6.8%
7.5%
Fauquier
4.8%
5.0%
5.5%
Culpeper
6.8%
6.8%
8.1%
Louisa
6.8%
6.9%
7.7%