Data / Rankings / Job destruction rate / Counties in Virginia

Counties in Virginia by job destruction rate

Patrick County had the highest job destruction rate of 133 counties in 2020, at 26.512%. Bath County had the lowest, at 3.304%. The median was 10.421% and the figure for Virginia was 11.159%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest26.512Patrick County
Lowest3.304Bath County
Median10.421133 counties
Virginia11.159History

Map of counties, 2020

Accomack County: 10.418 %Albemarle County: 8.428 %Alleghany County: 14.37 %Amelia County: 16.101 %Amherst County: 8.62 %Appomattox County: 7.916 %Arlington County: 10.966 %Augusta County: 7.345 %Bath County: 3.304 %Bedford County: 11.892 %Bland County: 6.957 %Botetourt County: 9.46 %Brunswick County: 8.279 %Buchanan County: 18.085 %Buckingham County: 8.208 %Campbell County: 7.823 %Caroline County: 9.461 %Carroll County: 8.444 %Charles City County: 9.437 %Charlotte County: 19.287 %Chesterfield County: 10.636 %Clarke County: 5.824 %Craig County: 10.649 %Culpeper County: 10.316 %Cumberland County: 18.236 %Dickenson County: 9.791 %Dinwiddie County: 7.75 %Essex County: 9.816 %Fairfax County: 11.112 %Fauquier County: 12.922 %Floyd County: 7.378 %Fluvanna County: 14.85 %Franklin County: 9.07 %Frederick County: 7.249 %Giles County: 9.602 %Gloucester County: 9.672 %Goochland County: 3.63 %Grayson County: 9.422 %Greene County: 10.333 %Greensville County: 4.226 %Halifax County: 9.589 %Hanover County: 9.55 %Henrico County: 11.224 %Henry County: 9.99 %Highland County: 12.895 %Isle of Wight County: 8.935 %James City County: 9.7 %King and Queen County: 14.121 %King George County: 13.061 %King William County: 10.515 %Lancaster County: 7.67 %Lee County: 10.945 %Loudoun County: 12.389 %Louisa County: 10.79 %Lunenburg County: 16.53 %Madison County: 10.256 %Mathews County: 16.644 %Mecklenburg County: 14.524 %Middlesex County: 11.991 %Montgomery County: 11.717 %Nelson County: 9.524 %New Kent County: 18.289 %Northampton County: 14.572 %Northumberland County: 10.496 %Nottoway County: 9.597 %Orange County: 9.582 %Page County: 13.882 %Patrick County: 26.512 %Pittsylvania County: 9.7 %Powhatan County: 8.811 %Prince Edward County: 9.319 %Prince George County: 18.544 %Prince William County: 11.538 %Pulaski County: 18.633 %Rappahannock County: 11.971 %Richmond County: 11.172 %Roanoke County: 9.507 %Rockbridge County: 13.683 %Rockingham County: 7.74 %Russell County: 11.657 %Scott County: 6.601 %Shenandoah County: 10.847 %Smyth County: 16.144 %Southampton County: 10.278 %Spotsylvania County: 11.862 %Stafford County: 9.699 %Surry County: 4.425 %Sussex County: 8.741 %Tazewell County: 10.158 %Warren County: 7.62 %Washington County: 13.428 %Westmoreland County: 9.662 %Wise County: 9.905 %Wythe County: 10.302 %York County: 11.791 %Alexandria city: 10.53 %Bristol city: 10.681 %Buena Vista city: 10.11 %Charlottesville city: 11.946 %Chesapeake city: 9.837 %Colonial Heights city: 11.545 %Covington city: 13.091 %Danville city: 10.599 %Emporia city: 14.746 %Fairfax city: 11.948 %Falls Church city: 11.529 %Franklin city: 7.191 %Fredericksburg city: 9.315 %Galax city: 12.521 %Hampton city: 14.844 %Harrisonburg city: 10.008 %Hopewell city: 14.959 %Lexington city: 6.959 %Lynchburg city: 8.07 %Manassas city: 9.775 %Manassas Park city: 13.065 %Martinsville city: 11.677 %Newport News city: 8.429 %Norfolk city: 10.748 %Norton city: 15.887 %Petersburg city: 7.776 %Poquoson city: 18.068 %Portsmouth city: 10.421 %Radford city: 12.216 %Richmond city: 10.701 %Roanoke city: 20.241 %Salem city: 7.997 %Staunton city: 7.5 %Suffolk city: 11.44 %Virginia Beach city: 11.72 %Waynesboro city: 12.035 %Williamsburg city: 13.325 %Winchester city: 9.363 %
  • Under 8.2
  • 8.2 to 9.6
  • 9.6 to 10
  • 10 to 12
  • 12 to 14
  • 14 and over
%, 2020. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Dynamics Statistics: job destruction rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2020

Patrick County: 26.512 %Patrick County26.512Roanoke city: 20.241 %Roanoke city20.241Charlotte County: 19.287 %Charlotte County19.287Pulaski County: 18.633 %Pulaski County18.633Prince George County: 18.544 %Prince George County18.544New Kent County: 18.289 %New Kent County18.289Cumberland County: 18.236 %Cumberland County18.236Buchanan County: 18.085 %Buchanan County18.085Poquoson city: 18.068 %Poquoson city18.068Mathews County: 16.644 %Mathews County16.644Lunenburg County: 16.53 %Lunenburg County16.53Smyth County: 16.144 %Smyth County16.144Amelia County: 16.101 %Amelia County16.101Norton city: 15.887 %Norton city15.887Hopewell city: 14.959 %Hopewell city14.959Fluvanna County: 14.85 %Fluvanna County14.85Hampton city: 14.844 %Hampton city14.844Emporia city: 14.746 %Emporia city14.746Northampton County: 14.572 %Northampton County14.572Mecklenburg County: 14.524 %Mecklenburg County14.524Alleghany County: 14.37 %Alleghany County14.37King and Queen County: 14.121 %King and Queen County14.121Page County: 13.882 %Page County13.882Rockbridge County: 13.683 %Rockbridge County13.683Washington County: 13.428 %Washington County13.428Williamsburg city: 13.325 %Williamsburg city13.325Covington city: 13.091 %Covington city13.091Manassas Park city: 13.065 %Manassas Park city13.065King George County: 13.061 %King George County13.061Fauquier County: 12.922 %Fauquier County12.922Highland County: 12.895 %Highland County12.895Galax city: 12.521 %Galax city12.521Loudoun County: 12.389 %Loudoun County12.389Radford city: 12.216 %Radford city12.216Waynesboro city: 12.035 %Waynesboro city12.035Middlesex County: 11.991 %Middlesex County11.991Rappahannock County: 11.971 %Rappahannock County11.971Fairfax city: 11.948 %Fairfax city11.948Charlottesville city: 11.946 %Charlottesville city11.946Bedford County: 11.892 %Bedford County11.892Patrick County: 26.512 %Patrick County26.512Roanoke city: 20.241 %Roanoke city20.241Charlotte County: 19.287 %Charlotte County19.287Pulaski County: 18.633 %Pulaski County18.633Prince George County: 18.544 %Prince George County18.544New Kent County: 18.289 %New Kent County18.289Cumberland County: 18.236 %Cumberland County18.236Buchanan County: 18.085 %Buchanan County18.085Poquoson city: 18.068 %Poquoson city18.068Mathews County: 16.644 %Mathews County16.644Lunenburg County: 16.53 %Lunenburg County16.53Smyth County: 16.144 %Smyth County16.144Amelia County: 16.101 %Amelia County16.101Norton city: 15.887 %Norton city15.887Hopewell city: 14.959 %Hopewell city14.959Fluvanna County: 14.85 %Fluvanna County14.85Hampton city: 14.844 %Hampton city14.844Emporia city: 14.746 %Emporia city14.746Northampton County: 14.572 %Northampton County14.572Mecklenburg County: 14.524 %Mecklenburg County14.524Alleghany County: 14.37 %Alleghany County14.37King and Queen County: 14.121 %King and Queen County14.121Page County: 13.882 %Page County13.882Rockbridge County: 13.683 %Rockbridge County13.683Washington County: 13.428 %Washington County13.428Williamsburg city: 13.325 %Williamsburg city13.325Covington city: 13.091 %Covington city13.091Manassas Park city: 13.065 %Manassas Park city13.065King George County: 13.061 %King George County13.061Fauquier County: 12.922 %Fauquier County12.922Highland County: 12.895 %Highland County12.895Galax city: 12.521 %Galax city12.521Loudoun County: 12.389 %Loudoun County12.389Radford city: 12.216 %Radford city12.216Waynesboro city: 12.035 %Waynesboro city12.035Middlesex County: 11.991 %Middlesex County11.991Rappahannock County: 11.971 %Rappahannock County11.971Fairfax city: 11.948 %Fairfax city11.948Charlottesville city: 11.946 %Charlottesville city11.946Bedford County: 11.892 %Bedford County11.892
%. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Dynamics Statistics: job destruction rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2020 (%)Change on 2019
1Patrick County26.512+20.87 pts
2Roanoke city20.241+12.82 pts
3Charlotte County19.287+10.61 pts
4Pulaski County18.633+10.84 pts
5Prince George County18.544-12.61 pts
6New Kent County18.289+8.5 pts
7Cumberland County18.236+5.41 pts
8Buchanan County18.085+9.22 pts
9Poquoson city18.068+1.67 pts
10Mathews County16.644+5.38 pts
11Lunenburg County16.53+5.78 pts
12Smyth County16.144+8.71 pts
13Amelia County16.101+1.36 pts
14Norton city15.887+9 pts
15Hopewell city14.959-3.17 pts
16Fluvanna County14.85+4.27 pts
17Hampton city14.844+4.94 pts
18Emporia city14.746+6.98 pts
19Northampton County14.572+7 pts
20Mecklenburg County14.524+4.08 pts
21Alleghany County14.37+7.65 pts
22King and Queen County14.121+3.2 pts
23Page County13.882+3.77 pts
24Rockbridge County13.683+6.38 pts
25Washington County13.428+0.66 pts
26Williamsburg city13.325+3.57 pts
27Covington city13.091+6.62 pts
28Manassas Park city13.065-0.33 pts
29King George County13.061+3.48 pts
30Fauquier County12.922+4.13 pts
31Highland County12.895+0.39 pts
32Galax city12.521+7.62 pts
33Loudoun County12.389+2.18 pts
34Radford city12.216+4.52 pts
35Waynesboro city12.035+2.16 pts
36Middlesex County11.991-5.33 pts
37Rappahannock County11.971-0.24 pts
38Fairfax city11.948+2.55 pts
39Charlottesville city11.946+1.9 pts
40Bedford County11.892+3.04 pts
41Spotsylvania County11.862+1.2 pts
42York County11.791+3.75 pts
43Virginia Beach city11.72-0.5 pts
44Montgomery County11.717-1.48 pts
45Martinsville city11.677+0.94 pts
46Russell County11.657+4.49 pts
47Colonial Heights city11.545+1.73 pts
48Prince William County11.538+1.63 pts
49Falls Church city11.529-5.15 pts
50Suffolk city11.44+1.93 pts
51Henrico County11.224+1.77 pts
52Richmond County11.172+5.69 pts
53Fairfax County11.112+0.94 pts
54Arlington County10.966+0.17 pts
55Lee County10.945-0.32 pts
56Shenandoah County10.847+2.57 pts
57Louisa County10.79+2.73 pts
58Norfolk city10.748+1.53 pts
59Richmond city10.701+1.45 pts
60Bristol city10.681+4.1 pts
61Craig County10.649-3.22 pts
62Chesterfield County10.636-0.83 pts
63Danville city10.599+1.9 pts
64Alexandria city10.53+0.67 pts
65King William County10.515-1.51 pts
66Northumberland County10.496-1.66 pts
67Portsmouth city10.421-0.65 pts
68Accomack County10.418+4.13 pts
69Greene County10.333+0.08 pts
70Culpeper County10.316-7.21 pts
71Wythe County10.302+1.82 pts
72Southampton County10.278+0.54 pts
73Madison County10.256+0.25 pts
74Tazewell County10.158+0.52 pts
75Buena Vista city10.11+2.23 pts
76Harrisonburg city10.008+1.35 pts
77Henry County9.99+2.29 pts
78Wise County9.905-4.8 pts
79Chesapeake city9.837-0.83 pts
80Essex County9.816-3.09 pts
81Dickenson County9.791+1.69 pts
82Manassas city9.775+0.76 pts
83James City County9.7-0.65 pts
83Pittsylvania County9.7+1.75 pts
85Stafford County9.699-1 pts
86Gloucester County9.672-1.81 pts
87Westmoreland County9.662-0.16 pts
88Giles County9.602-0.67 pts
89Nottoway County9.597-0.48 pts
90Halifax County9.589+2.52 pts
91Orange County9.582+0.49 pts
92Hanover County9.55-0.94 pts
93Nelson County9.524+3.08 pts
94Roanoke County9.507+0.82 pts
95Caroline County9.461+2.12 pts
96Botetourt County9.46+1.15 pts
97Charles City County9.437-2.6 pts
98Grayson County9.422+0.18 pts
99Winchester city9.363-0.67 pts
100Prince Edward County9.319+1.35 pts
101Fredericksburg city9.315+2.39 pts
102Franklin County9.07-0.45 pts
103Isle of Wight County8.935-0.24 pts
104Powhatan County8.811-1.68 pts
105Sussex County8.741-1.69 pts
106Amherst County8.62-0.93 pts
107Carroll County8.444-4.48 pts
108Newport News city8.429+1.52 pts
109Albemarle County8.428-0.5 pts
110Brunswick County8.279-0.38 pts
111Buckingham County8.208-2.38 pts
112Lynchburg city8.07+1.38 pts
113Salem city7.997-1.56 pts
114Appomattox County7.916-0.41 pts
115Campbell County7.823-1.61 pts
116Petersburg city7.776+1.06 pts
117Dinwiddie County7.75+0.43 pts
118Rockingham County7.74+2.5 pts
119Lancaster County7.67-2.57 pts
120Warren County7.62-0.56 pts
121Staunton city7.5+0.38 pts
122Floyd County7.378-2.84 pts
123Augusta County7.345+1.02 pts
124Frederick County7.249-3.32 pts
125Franklin city7.191-0.32 pts
126Lexington city6.959+2.15 pts
127Bland County6.957-8.89 pts
128Scott County6.601-2.05 pts
129Clarke County5.824-6.47 pts
130Surry County4.425+0.06 pts
131Greensville County4.226-0.47 pts
132Goochland County3.63-0.17 pts
133Bath County3.304-4.45 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

Jobs lost at closing and shrinking establishments during the year, as a percentage of average employment in the two years. United States: Census Bureau Business Dynamics Statistics.

A gross flow: jobs added elsewhere are not subtracted, so the net change is job_creation_rate minus this rate. Not a layoff rate: it counts positions lost at establishments, not people who lost a job. The year is the twelve months to March: 2023 compares March 2022 with March 2023.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the counties are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Census Bureau. Business Dynamics Statistics: job destruction rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Census Bureau. (2025). Business Dynamics Statistics: job destruction rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010 (Counties in Virginia by job destruction rate, 2020) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv

MLA 9

Business Dynamics Statistics: job destruction rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010, Counties in Virginia by job destruction rate, 2020. U.S. Census Bureau, 25 Sept. 2025, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/job-destruction-rate/virginia-counties?period=2020. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2025. Business Dynamics Statistics: job destruction rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. Counties in Virginia by job destruction rate, 2020. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/job-destruction-rate/virginia-counties?period=2020.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2025) Business Dynamics Statistics: job destruction rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010, Counties in Virginia by job destruction rate, 2020 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/job-destruction-rate/virginia-counties?period=2020 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_virginia_by_2020,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{Business Dynamics Statistics: job destruction rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010: Counties in Virginia by job destruction rate, 2020}},
  year = {2025},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/job-destruction-rate/virginia-counties?period=2020. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Business Dynamics Statistics: job destruction rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023\_st\_cty.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - Business Dynamics Statistics: job destruction rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010: Counties in Virginia by job destruction rate, 2020
PY  - 2025
DA  - 2025/09/25
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/job-destruction-rate/virginia-counties?period=2020
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/job-destruction-rate/virginia-counties?period=2020.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Business Dynamics Statistics: job destruction rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Questions

Which county has the highest job destruction rate?

Patrick County, with 26.512% in 2020, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest job destruction rate?

Bath County, with 3.304% in 2020.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Dynamics Statistics: job destruction rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Job destruction rate: other rankings

Counties in Virginia: more rankings