Fall Unemployment Numbers Still High In Triangle

Wednesday, January 05, 2011

Unemployment in the fall months in the Triangle was a mixed bag compared to the same period last year, with Williamsburg leading with the highest numbers and highest increases.

In September, all three localities saw a slight dip (less than one percentage point) in unemployment over 2009, and in October York County and James City County stayed about the same while Williamsburg rose from 13.4 percent in 2009 to 14.1 percent in 2010. November saw numbers climb in all three areas, with Williamsburg showing the highest climb again from 13.5 percent in 2009 to 14.8 percent.

Generally, the Virginia Employment Commission cautions that Williamsburg numbers are misleading because the workforce is small (the city has a workforce of about 5,600 people compared to just over 30,000 in the nearby counties) and some unemployed might accidentally claim a Williamsburg residency when they’re in fact James City County residents.

In 2008, the average unemployment rate in Williamsburg was 8.6 percent, which was the highest it had been (on average) in 10

years. Since the recession began, the city’s rate has stayed consistently in the teens, with a peak in January and February 2010 over 18 percent.

James City County’s 2008 average was 3.2 percent, and it has hovered generally around 5 percent during the two-plus years of the recession. York County’s average in 2008 was 3.3 percent, and it has also hovered between 5 and 6 percent since the recession began.

The recession has kept unemployment numbers higher than average, and when looking at modestly-better summer 2010 data, VEC economist Ann Lang said the economic recovery was tenuous and that fall numbers would give a better idea whether the upward trend was a sign of an economic upswing.

Based on VEC data, management occupations, sales, and construction jobs were on the list of top five occupation groups of the unemployed in all three Triangle localities.

Also on the top five list in James City County were the food industry and building and grounds maintenance jobs, and office administration and food industry completed the top five on Williamsburg’s list. In York County, office administration and production were also in the top five.