One Big Year: 35,000 New Jobs in Northern Virginia

Virginia’s unemployment rate fell in August to its lowest level since September 2008, with a large majority of new jobs counted in Northern Virginia.

The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate is 4.5 percent in Virginia, below the 5.1 percent nationwide.

The average weekly wage for private employers was $940.55 in August, 7.6 percent above a year ago, according to Governor Terry McAuliffe.

“We are seeing tangible results from our work to build a new Virginia economy by fostering growth at Virginia businesses around the Commonwealth and attracting new, high-growth industries,” he said.

From August of 2014 to August of 2015, Virginia’s seasonally adjusted total nonfarm employment was up 41,100 jobs. Of those jobs, 35,500 were counted in Northern Virginia.

Search thousands of job openings in the region at our Jobs Board.

With the threat of a government shutdown back in the news, McAuliffe sounded the alarm on the impact that move would have on the large number of federal and government contract employees in the region.

“We still have much work to do to diversify our economy and chart a course for sustainable growth well into the future,” he said.

Last week, Prince William County announced 200 new jobs from IT company Ventech.