Counties with the highest unemployment in Virginia

The first jobs report fully under the new Trump administration showed a softening job market, with the unemployment rate ticking up to 4.1% in February, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics figures released March 7.

Job growth increased but fell below expectations, one of several possible fissures appearing in the once rock-solid labor market. Businesses are pulling back on hiring as the economic forecast and policy outlook grow murkier due to volatile trade policies and large cuts to the federal workforce.

Federal government employment fell by 10,000 in February, pushing up total cuts to the federal workforce. In the first two months of 2025, 62,530 federal workers were let go. However, the most recent cuts, including the Department of Education's workforce getting slashed by nearly half, have not yet appeared in official jobs data. Retail employment also fell by 6,000.

The broader unemployment index, known as the U-6, which also includes laborers working part-time because they can't find full-time work, and those who want to work but have given up searching, rose to 8%, its highest since October 2021.

To get a glimpse of regional variations in employment, Stacker compiled a list of counties with the highest unemployment rates in Virginia, using BLS data. Counties are ranked by their preliminary unemployment rate in January 2025, with initial ties broken by the number of unemployed people within that county, though some ties may remain. County-level unemployment rates are not seasonally adjusted.

Key takeaways: Jobs report shows softening labor market

February's job growth of 151,000 fell below economists' expected gains of 160,000, showing the labor market is cooling faster than predicted. Experts say many companies weighing policy changes and economic uncertainty are deciding it's safer to hold off on hiring decisions for now.

"If you were a company and you were saying, 'I'm looking to expand, or I'm looking to hire,' you would have investors in those companies saying, 'Are you crazy?'" Ron Hetrick, senior labor economist at Lightcast, told Marketplace.

Consumer spending fell in January for the first time in two years, which may have led to layoffs or hiring slowdowns, Nela Richardson, ADP's chief economist, told NBC News.

The big story: From bold promises to frozen labor market

After an initial market pop following Trump's electoral win, indexes have slumped to below when he took office, and uncertainty about the future of the markets is a common theme. Are threatened tariffs in place, delayed, reversed, or ramped up? Has that federal worker been fired or given their job back? Are those federal dollars slashed or reinstated? It's a question mark that changes daily.

Research shows that uncertainty invites lower investment, slows employment, and increases financial market volatility. The word "uncertain" showed up 47 times in the March edition of the Beige Book, the Federal Reserve's snapshot of reports from across the nation, compared to 17 times in the previous report from January.

The new administration's blitz of executive orders and trade policy waffling have cast a dense fog over the short-term economic outlook. One thing that is known? Uncertainty isn't good for business planning, job creation, or hiring.

In a March 12 interview with Semafor, JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon noted that average consumers likely don't change "what they're going to do because they read about tariffs," but "companies might."

"Uncertainty is not a good thing," Dimon added.

To get a better idea of your community's current economy, read on to see the counties with the highest unemployment in Virginia.

46. Mathews County (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: +1.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,627 people (133 unemployed)

46. Norfolk city (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: +0.8 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 107,894 people (4,014 unemployed)

46. Charlotte County (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: +0.8 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,945 people (183 unemployed)

46. Giles County (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: +0.9 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,769 people (285 unemployed)

46. Newport News city (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: +0.7 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 89,530 people (3,323 unemployed)

43. Radford city (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: +0.7 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,746 people (330 unemployed)

43. Craig County (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: +1.0 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,095 people (80 unemployed)

43. Lexington city (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: +0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,599 people (135 unemployed)

42. Lynchburg city

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: +0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 37,384 people (1,441 unemployed)

36. Hampton city (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 4%
--- 1-month change: +0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 67,240 people (2,705 unemployed)

36. Smyth County (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 4%
--- 1-month change: +1.0 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 12,162 people (485 unemployed)

36. Lunenburg County (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 4%
--- 1-month change: +1.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,735 people (190 unemployed)

36. Buckingham County (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 4%
--- 1-month change: +0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,271 people (290 unemployed)

36. Bristol city (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 4%
--- 1-month change: +0.8 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,544 people (301 unemployed)

36. Scott County (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 4%
--- 1-month change: +1.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,164 people (326 unemployed)

34. Grayson County (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: +1.9 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,255 people (298 unemployed)

34. Nottoway County (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: +1.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,893 people (240 unemployed)

31. Halifax County (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
--- 1-month change: +0.8 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 14,626 people (621 unemployed)

31. Williamsburg city (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
--- 1-month change: +0.9 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,070 people (300 unemployed)

31. Portsmouth city (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
--- 1-month change: +0.7 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 44,342 people (1,872 unemployed)

27. Essex County (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
--- 1-month change: +1.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: 0.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,947 people (215 unemployed)

27. Sussex County (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
--- 1-month change: -0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,716 people (202 unemployed)

27. Lee County (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
--- 1-month change: +0.9 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,732 people (333 unemployed)

27. Franklin city (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
--- 1-month change: +0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,626 people (157 unemployed)

22. Henry County (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
--- 1-month change: +1.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 21,499 people (956 unemployed)

22. Prince Edward County (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
--- 1-month change: +1.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,680 people (385 unemployed)

22. Northampton County (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
--- 1-month change: +1.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,336 people (235 unemployed)

22. Wise County (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
--- 1-month change: +0.7 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 13,059 people (570 unemployed)

22. Alleghany County (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
--- 1-month change: +0.8 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,987 people (263 unemployed)

19. Accomack County (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: +1.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 15,068 people (676 unemployed)

19. Norton city (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: +0.9 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,508 people (68 unemployed)

19. Hopewell city (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: +0.8 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 10,194 people (461 unemployed)

17. Carroll County (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
--- 1-month change: +1.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 12,390 people (575 unemployed)

17. Dickenson County (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
--- 1-month change: +0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,710 people (215 unemployed)

15. Russell County (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.7%
--- 1-month change: +1.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 9,390 people (438 unemployed)

15. Tazewell County (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.7%
--- 1-month change: +1.0 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 14,765 people (690 unemployed)

13. Westmoreland County (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.8%
--- 1-month change: +1.7 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,708 people (368 unemployed)

13. Buchanan County (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.8%
--- 1-month change: +0.7 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,316 people (306 unemployed)

9. Petersburg city (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.9%
--- 1-month change: 0.0 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 15,203 people (750 unemployed)

9. Richmond County (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.9%
--- 1-month change: +2.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,310 people (162 unemployed)

9. Martinsville city (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.9%
--- 1-month change: +0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,175 people (303 unemployed)

9. Danville city (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.9%
--- 1-month change: +1.0 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 17,859 people (873 unemployed)

7. Page County (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 5%
--- 1-month change: +1.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 11,900 people (590 unemployed)

7. Covington city (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 5%
--- 1-month change: +1.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: 0.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,198 people (110 unemployed)

5. Galax city (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.2%
--- 1-month change: +2.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,073 people (160 unemployed)

5. Brunswick County (tie)

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.2%
--- 1-month change: +0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,632 people (345 unemployed)

4. Lancaster County

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.5%
--- 1-month change: +2.7 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,722 people (260 unemployed)

3. Greensville County

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.6%
--- 1-month change: +1.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +3.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,870 people (257 unemployed)

2. Northumberland County

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 7.1%
--- 1-month change: +3.8 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +3.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,591 people (325 unemployed)

1. Emporia city

- January unemployment rate (preliminary): 8.8%
--- 1-month change: +0.9 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +4.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,421 people (212 unemployed)

This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Ben Popken, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.