Data / Rankings / Labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate) / Counties in Virginia

Counties in Virginia by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate)

Arlington County had the highest labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate) of 133 counties in 2021, at 78.6%. Buchanan County had the lowest, at 37.6%. The median was 59.8% and the figure for Virginia was 66%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest78.6Arlington County
Lowest37.6Buchanan County
Median59.8133 counties
Virginia66History

Map of counties, 2021

Accomack County: 55.4 %Albemarle County: 62.2 %Alleghany County: 51.8 %Amelia County: 62.7 %Amherst County: 61.3 %Appomattox County: 60.5 %Arlington County: 78.6 %Augusta County: 59.4 %Bath County: 50.9 %Bedford County: 58.7 %Bland County: 43.2 %Botetourt County: 60.6 %Brunswick County: 49.6 %Buchanan County: 37.6 %Buckingham County: 49 %Campbell County: 59.8 %Caroline County: 67.5 %Carroll County: 53.9 %Charles City County: 57.5 %Charlotte County: 53 %Chesterfield County: 68.1 %Clarke County: 62 %Craig County: 51.8 %Culpeper County: 65.5 %Cumberland County: 64.2 %Dickenson County: 37.7 %Dinwiddie County: 61.4 %Essex County: 56.2 %Fairfax County: 71.5 %Fauquier County: 66.9 %Floyd County: 61 %Fluvanna County: 61 %Franklin County: 53.4 %Frederick County: 63.7 %Giles County: 57 %Gloucester County: 62.4 %Goochland County: 57.1 %Grayson County: 50.1 %Greene County: 67.8 %Greensville County: 40 %Halifax County: 51.8 %Hanover County: 67.2 %Henrico County: 69.2 %Henry County: 51.6 %Highland County: 48.3 %Isle of Wight County: 65 %James City County: 58.5 %King and Queen County: 61.9 %King George County: 68.4 %King William County: 68.2 %Lancaster County: 47.7 %Lee County: 41.6 %Loudoun County: 74.6 %Louisa County: 60.7 %Lunenburg County: 50 %Madison County: 60.4 %Mathews County: 49 %Mecklenburg County: 51.5 %Middlesex County: 53.3 %Montgomery County: 55.1 %Nelson County: 57.3 %New Kent County: 64.9 %Northampton County: 51.8 %Northumberland County: 42.3 %Nottoway County: 47.5 %Orange County: 61.4 %Page County: 59.2 %Patrick County: 53.3 %Pittsylvania County: 54.6 %Powhatan County: 59.6 %Prince Edward County: 44.6 %Prince George County: 57 %Prince William County: 72.9 %Pulaski County: 54.8 %Rappahannock County: 59.6 %Richmond County: 42.6 %Roanoke County: 61 %Rockbridge County: 55.1 %Rockingham County: 64.5 %Russell County: 44 %Scott County: 47 %Shenandoah County: 60.5 %Smyth County: 50.9 %Southampton County: 55.9 %Spotsylvania County: 68.3 %Stafford County: 69.4 %Surry County: 61.6 %Sussex County: 51.3 %Tazewell County: 46.8 %Warren County: 63.7 %Washington County: 54.7 %Westmoreland County: 54 %Wise County: 47.2 %Wythe County: 56.9 %York County: 67.4 %Alexandria city: 78.3 %Bristol city: 58 %Buena Vista city: 55.3 %Charlottesville city: 64.5 %Chesapeake city: 67 %Colonial Heights city: 64.6 %Covington city: 52.4 %Danville city: 52.9 %Emporia city: 59.4 %Fairfax city: 72.2 %Falls Church city: 74.3 %Franklin city: 59.8 %Fredericksburg city: 71.1 %Galax city: 59.8 %Hampton city: 66.1 %Harrisonburg city: 59.4 %Hopewell city: 61.3 %Lexington city: 40.1 %Lynchburg city: 60.2 %Manassas city: 74.3 %Manassas Park city: 77.9 %Martinsville city: 56.8 %Newport News city: 67.7 %Norfolk city: 71.1 %Norton city: 51.2 %Petersburg city: 62.5 %Poquoson city: 64.5 %Portsmouth city: 63.1 %Radford city: 57.8 %Richmond city: 67.4 %Roanoke city: 64.8 %Salem city: 62.4 %Staunton city: 60.8 %Suffolk city: 66.9 %Virginia Beach city: 70.3 %Waynesboro city: 64.8 %Williamsburg city: 51.3 %Winchester city: 68.9 %
  • Under 51
  • 51 to 55
  • 55 to 60
  • 60 to 62
  • 62 to 67
  • 67 and over
%, 2021. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2021

Arlington County: 78.6 %Arlington County78.6Alexandria city: 78.3 %Alexandria city78.3Manassas Park city: 77.9 %Manassas Park city77.9Loudoun County: 74.6 %Loudoun County74.6Manassas city: 74.3 %Manassas city74.3Falls Church city: 74.3 %Falls Church city74.3Prince William County: 72.9 %Prince William County72.9Fairfax city: 72.2 %Fairfax city72.2Fairfax County: 71.5 %Fairfax County71.5Fredericksburg city: 71.1 %Fredericksburg city71.1Norfolk city: 71.1 %Norfolk city71.1Virginia Beach city: 70.3 %Virginia Beach city70.3Stafford County: 69.4 %Stafford County69.4Henrico County: 69.2 %Henrico County69.2Winchester city: 68.9 %Winchester city68.9King George County: 68.4 %King George County68.4Spotsylvania County: 68.3 %Spotsylvania County68.3King William County: 68.2 %King William County68.2Chesterfield County: 68.1 %Chesterfield County68.1Greene County: 67.8 %Greene County67.8Newport News city: 67.7 %Newport News city67.7Caroline County: 67.5 %Caroline County67.5York County: 67.4 %York County67.4Richmond city: 67.4 %Richmond city67.4Hanover County: 67.2 %Hanover County67.2Chesapeake city: 67 %Chesapeake city67Suffolk city: 66.9 %Suffolk city66.9Fauquier County: 66.9 %Fauquier County66.9Hampton city: 66.1 %Hampton city66.1Culpeper County: 65.5 %Culpeper County65.5Isle of Wight County: 65 %Isle of Wight County65New Kent County: 64.9 %New Kent County64.9Roanoke city: 64.8 %Roanoke city64.8Waynesboro city: 64.8 %Waynesboro city64.8Colonial Heights city: 64.6 %Colonial Heights city64.6Poquoson city: 64.5 %Poquoson city64.5Charlottesville city: 64.5 %Charlottesville city64.5Rockingham County: 64.5 %Rockingham County64.5Cumberland County: 64.2 %Cumberland County64.2Warren County: 63.7 %Warren County63.7Arlington County: 78.6 %Arlington County78.6Alexandria city: 78.3 %Alexandria city78.3Manassas Park city: 77.9 %Manassas Park city77.9Loudoun County: 74.6 %Loudoun County74.6Manassas city: 74.3 %Manassas city74.3Falls Church city: 74.3 %Falls Church city74.3Prince William County: 72.9 %Prince William County72.9Fairfax city: 72.2 %Fairfax city72.2Fairfax County: 71.5 %Fairfax County71.5Fredericksburg city: 71.1 %Fredericksburg city71.1Norfolk city: 71.1 %Norfolk city71.1Virginia Beach city: 70.3 %Virginia Beach city70.3Stafford County: 69.4 %Stafford County69.4Henrico County: 69.2 %Henrico County69.2Winchester city: 68.9 %Winchester city68.9King George County: 68.4 %King George County68.4Spotsylvania County: 68.3 %Spotsylvania County68.3King William County: 68.2 %King William County68.2Chesterfield County: 68.1 %Chesterfield County68.1Greene County: 67.8 %Greene County67.8Newport News city: 67.7 %Newport News city67.7Caroline County: 67.5 %Caroline County67.5York County: 67.4 %York County67.4Richmond city: 67.4 %Richmond city67.4Hanover County: 67.2 %Hanover County67.2Chesapeake city: 67 %Chesapeake city67Suffolk city: 66.9 %Suffolk city66.9Fauquier County: 66.9 %Fauquier County66.9Hampton city: 66.1 %Hampton city66.1Culpeper County: 65.5 %Culpeper County65.5Isle of Wight County: 65 %Isle of Wight County65New Kent County: 64.9 %New Kent County64.9Roanoke city: 64.8 %Roanoke city64.8Waynesboro city: 64.8 %Waynesboro city64.8Colonial Heights city: 64.6 %Colonial Heights city64.6Poquoson city: 64.5 %Poquoson city64.5Charlottesville city: 64.5 %Charlottesville city64.5Rockingham County: 64.5 %Rockingham County64.5Cumberland County: 64.2 %Cumberland County64.2Warren County: 63.7 %Warren County63.7
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2021 (%)
1Arlington County78.6
2Alexandria city78.3
3Manassas Park city77.9
4Loudoun County74.6
5Manassas city74.3
6Falls Church city74.3
7Prince William County72.9
8Fairfax city72.2
9Fairfax County71.5
10Fredericksburg city71.1
11Norfolk city71.1
12Virginia Beach city70.3
13Stafford County69.4
14Henrico County69.2
15Winchester city68.9
16King George County68.4
17Spotsylvania County68.3
18King William County68.2
19Chesterfield County68.1
20Greene County67.8
21Newport News city67.7
22Caroline County67.5
23York County67.4
24Richmond city67.4
25Hanover County67.2
26Chesapeake city67
27Suffolk city66.9
28Fauquier County66.9
29Hampton city66.1
30Culpeper County65.5
31Isle of Wight County65
32New Kent County64.9
33Roanoke city64.8
34Waynesboro city64.8
35Colonial Heights city64.6
36Poquoson city64.5
37Charlottesville city64.5
38Rockingham County64.5
39Cumberland County64.2
40Warren County63.7
41Frederick County63.7
42Portsmouth city63.1
43Amelia County62.7
44Petersburg city62.5
45Gloucester County62.4
46Salem city62.4
47Albemarle County62.2
48Clarke County62
49King and Queen County61.9
50Surry County61.6
51Dinwiddie County61.4
52Orange County61.4
53Hopewell city61.3
54Amherst County61.3
55Roanoke County61
56Fluvanna County61
57Floyd County61
58Staunton city60.8
59Louisa County60.7
60Botetourt County60.6
61Appomattox County60.5
62Shenandoah County60.5
63Madison County60.4
64Lynchburg city60.2
65Franklin city59.8
66Campbell County59.8
67Galax city59.8
68Rappahannock County59.6
69Powhatan County59.6
70Augusta County59.4
71Harrisonburg city59.4
72Emporia city59.4
73Page County59.2
74Bedford County58.7
75James City County58.5
76Bristol city58
77Radford city57.8
78Charles City County57.5
79Nelson County57.3
80Goochland County57.1
81Prince George County57
82Giles County57
83Wythe County56.9
84Martinsville city56.8
85Essex County56.2
86Southampton County55.9
87Accomack County55.4
88Buena Vista city55.3
89Montgomery County55.1
90Rockbridge County55.1
91Pulaski County54.8
92Washington County54.7
93Pittsylvania County54.6
94Westmoreland County54
95Carroll County53.9
96Franklin County53.4
97Patrick County53.3
98Middlesex County53.3
99Charlotte County53
100Danville city52.9
101Covington city52.4
102Craig County51.8
102Northampton County51.8
104Halifax County51.8
105Alleghany County51.8
106Henry County51.6
107Mecklenburg County51.5
108Williamsburg city51.3
109Sussex County51.3
110Norton city51.2
111Smyth County50.9
112Bath County50.9
113Grayson County50.1
114Lunenburg County50
115Brunswick County49.6
116Buckingham County49
116Mathews County49
118Highland County48.3
119Lancaster County47.7
120Nottoway County47.5
121Wise County47.2
122Scott County47
123Tazewell County46.8
124Prince Edward County44.6
125Russell County44
126Bland County43.2
127Richmond County42.6
128Northumberland County42.3
129Lee County41.6
130Lexington city40.1
131Greensville County40
132Dickenson County37.7
133Buchanan County37.6

Other periods

About this ranking

People aged 16 and over in the labor force (employed, unemployed or in the Armed Forces) as a percentage of all people aged 16 and over, including people in group quarters. United States: American Community Survey five-year estimate, where the period shown is the last year of the five-year span.

The Census Bureau definition used in its data profiles. It differs from the BLS labor_force_participation_rate, which counts the civilian noninstitutional population only.

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. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat. 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. (2026). American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs (Counties in Virginia by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat

MLA 9

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, Counties in Virginia by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/virginia-counties?period=2021. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs. Counties in Virginia by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/virginia-counties?period=2021.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, Counties in Virginia by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/virginia-counties?period=2021 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_virginia_by_2021,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs: Counties in Virginia by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/virginia-counties?period=2021. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary\_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs: Counties in Virginia by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/virginia-counties?period=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/virginia-counties?period=2021.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Questions

Which county has the highest labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate)?

Arlington County, with 78.6% in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate)?

Buchanan County, with 37.6% in 2021.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate): other rankings

Counties in Virginia: more rankings