August 2025 | Released September 19, 2025

Download the full PDF for Virginia

Download the summary PDF for Virginia

United States

Employment snapshot

• In August, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 13, rose in 12, and remained unchanged in 26.

• The highest unemployment rate was 6 percent in District of Columbia, and the lowest was 1.9 percent in South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point to 4.3 percent.

• In August, payroll jobs rose in 32 states and fell in 18. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.5 percent in Utah. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.7 percent in District of Columbia.

Virginia

Employment snapshot

• In August, Virginia added 7,200 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 3.6 percent. In the prior month, Virginia added 3,300 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, Virginia added 44,400 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.7 percentage points from 2.9 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 22,000 in August, or 0 percent. Virginia is tied for 18th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In August, Virginia’s private sector added 9,300 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 34,200 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Virginia lost 1,000 net private payroll jobs.

• In August, employment in Virginia fell by 5,030, and over the past 12 months it fell by 71,794.

• Virginia’s labor force participation rate fell to 64.7 percent in August from 64.9 percent and is tied for 14th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 1.2 percentage points.

---

Virginia

Payroll employment

• Virginia added 7,200 net payroll jobs, or 0.2 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during August. In the prior month, Virginia added 3,300 jobs. Virginia nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 9 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 22,000 in August, or 0 percent. Virginia is tied for 18th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• Virginia added 9,300 private sector jobs, or 0.3 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during August. In the prior month, Virginia lost 1,000 jobs. Virginia private sector payroll employment has increased in 7 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 38,000 jobs in August, or 0 percent. Virginia is tied for 18th in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.

From July 2025 to August 2025:

• The best performing sectors were Private Education and Health Services (+4,600) and Other Services (+3,100).
• The worst performing sectors were Federal Government (-1,800) and Financial Activities (-600).

From August 2024 to August 2025:

• The best performing sectors were Private Education and Health Services (+27,600) and State and Local Government (+18,900).
• The worst performing sectors were Federal Government (-8,700) and Professional and Business Services (-8,000).

Virginia

Labor force

The labor force participation rate is the percentage of the civilian noninstitutionalized population age 16 and older who are employed or actively looking for work.

• The labor force participation rate in Virginia fell to 64.7 percent in August from 64.9 percent in the prior month.

• Virginia is tied for 14th in the nation.

• The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in Virginia was 66.3 percent occurring in August 2023, and the 10-year low was 63.4 percent occurring in February 2021.

• The national labor force participation rate rose by 0.1 percentage points to 62.3 percent in August.