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)

Alexandria city had the highest labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate) of 133 counties in 2023, at 78.2%. Buchanan County had the lowest, at 35.3%. The median was 59.8% and the figure for Virginia was 65.6%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest78.2Alexandria city
Lowest35.3Buchanan County
Median59.8133 counties
Virginia65.6History

Map of counties, 2023

Accomack County: 56.3 %Albemarle County: 62.2 %Alleghany County: 49.7 %Amelia County: 59.2 %Amherst County: 60.2 %Appomattox County: 60.1 %Arlington County: 78 %Augusta County: 60.4 %Bath County: 50.5 %Bedford County: 57.7 %Bland County: 43.2 %Botetourt County: 58.4 %Brunswick County: 50.7 %Buchanan County: 35.3 %Buckingham County: 49.1 %Campbell County: 61 %Caroline County: 67.6 %Carroll County: 53.2 %Charles City County: 59.3 %Charlotte County: 51.7 %Chesterfield County: 68.2 %Clarke County: 61.1 %Craig County: 53.3 %Culpeper County: 63.8 %Cumberland County: 62.2 %Dickenson County: 41.2 %Dinwiddie County: 61.3 %Essex County: 50.4 %Fairfax County: 71.2 %Fauquier County: 67.9 %Floyd County: 62.8 %Fluvanna County: 61.4 %Franklin County: 54.7 %Frederick County: 64.7 %Giles County: 55.2 %Gloucester County: 62.5 %Goochland County: 56.7 %Grayson County: 47.3 %Greene County: 66.8 %Greensville County: 43.4 %Halifax County: 50.9 %Hanover County: 66.3 %Henrico County: 68.6 %Henry County: 51.8 %Highland County: 52.2 %Isle of Wight County: 64 %James City County: 56.5 %King and Queen County: 62 %King George County: 68.1 %King William County: 68.8 %Lancaster County: 46.6 %Lee County: 42 %Loudoun County: 74.1 %Louisa County: 62.5 %Lunenburg County: 47.2 %Madison County: 61.8 %Mathews County: 49.2 %Mecklenburg County: 50.5 %Middlesex County: 50 %Montgomery County: 57.2 %Nelson County: 54.7 %New Kent County: 64.5 %Northampton County: 52.2 %Northumberland County: 44.2 %Nottoway County: 48.5 %Orange County: 61 %Page County: 59.3 %Patrick County: 50.6 %Pittsylvania County: 52.6 %Powhatan County: 63.1 %Prince Edward County: 45.4 %Prince George County: 62.1 %Prince William County: 72.1 %Pulaski County: 54.9 %Rappahannock County: 59.9 %Richmond County: 44.5 %Roanoke County: 60.8 %Rockbridge County: 55.9 %Rockingham County: 63.6 %Russell County: 44.4 %Scott County: 45.1 %Shenandoah County: 59.1 %Smyth County: 50.4 %Southampton County: 56.2 %Spotsylvania County: 67.5 %Stafford County: 68.8 %Surry County: 59.1 %Sussex County: 49 %Tazewell County: 44.8 %Warren County: 63.8 %Washington County: 53.6 %Westmoreland County: 50.6 %Wise County: 46.4 %Wythe County: 56 %York County: 67.3 %Alexandria city: 78.2 %Bristol city: 55.5 %Buena Vista city: 54.5 %Charlottesville city: 64.7 %Chesapeake city: 67 %Colonial Heights city: 64.9 %Covington city: 47.3 %Danville city: 52.2 %Emporia city: 52.2 %Fairfax city: 71.6 %Falls Church city: 72.3 %Franklin city: 60.2 %Fredericksburg city: 68.8 %Galax city: 57.1 %Hampton city: 66.1 %Harrisonburg city: 61.4 %Hopewell city: 60.9 %Lexington city: 42 %Lynchburg city: 59.1 %Manassas city: 72.5 %Manassas Park city: 76.6 %Martinsville city: 56 %Newport News city: 67.5 %Norfolk city: 70.3 %Norton city: 51.7 %Petersburg city: 62.5 %Poquoson city: 66 %Portsmouth city: 62.9 %Radford city: 59.8 %Richmond city: 68.5 %Roanoke city: 62.7 %Salem city: 60.9 %Staunton city: 60.3 %Suffolk city: 65.8 %Virginia Beach city: 69.5 %Waynesboro city: 64.5 %Williamsburg city: 50.2 %Winchester city: 66.2 %
  • Under 50
  • 50 to 55
  • 55 to 60
  • 60 to 63
  • 63 to 67
  • 67 and over
%, 2023. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2023

Alexandria city: 78.2 %Alexandria city78.2Arlington County: 78 %Arlington County78Manassas Park city: 76.6 %Manassas Park city76.6Loudoun County: 74.1 %Loudoun County74.1Manassas city: 72.5 %Manassas city72.5Falls Church city: 72.3 %Falls Church city72.3Prince William County: 72.1 %Prince William County72.1Fairfax city: 71.6 %Fairfax city71.6Fairfax County: 71.2 %Fairfax County71.2Norfolk city: 70.3 %Norfolk city70.3Virginia Beach city: 69.5 %Virginia Beach city69.5Fredericksburg city: 68.8 %Fredericksburg city68.8King William County: 68.8 %King William County68.8Stafford County: 68.8 %Stafford County68.8Henrico County: 68.6 %Henrico County68.6Richmond city: 68.5 %Richmond city68.5Chesterfield County: 68.2 %Chesterfield County68.2King George County: 68.1 %King George County68.1Fauquier County: 67.9 %Fauquier County67.9Caroline County: 67.6 %Caroline County67.6Newport News city: 67.5 %Newport News city67.5Spotsylvania County: 67.5 %Spotsylvania County67.5York County: 67.3 %York County67.3Chesapeake city: 67 %Chesapeake city67Greene County: 66.8 %Greene County66.8Hanover County: 66.3 %Hanover County66.3Winchester city: 66.2 %Winchester city66.2Hampton city: 66.1 %Hampton city66.1Poquoson city: 66 %Poquoson city66Suffolk city: 65.8 %Suffolk city65.8Colonial Heights city: 64.9 %Colonial Heights city64.9Frederick County: 64.7 %Frederick County64.7Charlottesville city: 64.7 %Charlottesville city64.7New Kent County: 64.5 %New Kent County64.5Waynesboro city: 64.5 %Waynesboro city64.5Isle of Wight County: 64 %Isle of Wight County64Culpeper County: 63.8 %Culpeper County63.8Warren County: 63.8 %Warren County63.8Rockingham County: 63.6 %Rockingham County63.6Powhatan County: 63.1 %Powhatan County63.1Alexandria city: 78.2 %Alexandria city78.2Arlington County: 78 %Arlington County78Manassas Park city: 76.6 %Manassas Park city76.6Loudoun County: 74.1 %Loudoun County74.1Manassas city: 72.5 %Manassas city72.5Falls Church city: 72.3 %Falls Church city72.3Prince William County: 72.1 %Prince William County72.1Fairfax city: 71.6 %Fairfax city71.6Fairfax County: 71.2 %Fairfax County71.2Norfolk city: 70.3 %Norfolk city70.3Virginia Beach city: 69.5 %Virginia Beach city69.5Fredericksburg city: 68.8 %Fredericksburg city68.8King William County: 68.8 %King William County68.8Stafford County: 68.8 %Stafford County68.8Henrico County: 68.6 %Henrico County68.6Richmond city: 68.5 %Richmond city68.5Chesterfield County: 68.2 %Chesterfield County68.2King George County: 68.1 %King George County68.1Fauquier County: 67.9 %Fauquier County67.9Caroline County: 67.6 %Caroline County67.6Newport News city: 67.5 %Newport News city67.5Spotsylvania County: 67.5 %Spotsylvania County67.5York County: 67.3 %York County67.3Chesapeake city: 67 %Chesapeake city67Greene County: 66.8 %Greene County66.8Hanover County: 66.3 %Hanover County66.3Winchester city: 66.2 %Winchester city66.2Hampton city: 66.1 %Hampton city66.1Poquoson city: 66 %Poquoson city66Suffolk city: 65.8 %Suffolk city65.8Colonial Heights city: 64.9 %Colonial Heights city64.9Frederick County: 64.7 %Frederick County64.7Charlottesville city: 64.7 %Charlottesville city64.7New Kent County: 64.5 %New Kent County64.5Waynesboro city: 64.5 %Waynesboro city64.5Isle of Wight County: 64 %Isle of Wight County64Culpeper County: 63.8 %Culpeper County63.8Warren County: 63.8 %Warren County63.8Rockingham County: 63.6 %Rockingham County63.6Powhatan County: 63.1 %Powhatan County63.1
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2023 (%)Change on 2022
1Alexandria city78.2+0.2 pts
2Arlington County78-0.3 pts
3Manassas Park city76.6-0.1 pts
4Loudoun County74.1-0.2 pts
5Manassas city72.5-0.1 pts
6Falls Church city72.3-1.4 pts
7Prince William County72.1-0.2 pts
8Fairfax city71.6+0.1 pts
9Fairfax County71.2-0 pts
10Norfolk city70.3+0.3 pts
11Virginia Beach city69.5-0 pts
12Fredericksburg city68.8+0.3 pts
13King William County68.8+1.1 pts
13Stafford County68.8-0.2 pts
15Henrico County68.6-0.5 pts
16Richmond city68.5+0.6 pts
17Chesterfield County68.2+0.4 pts
18King George County68.1-0.5 pts
19Fauquier County67.9+0.2 pts
20Caroline County67.6-0.8 pts
21Newport News city67.5-0.1 pts
22Spotsylvania County67.5-0.6 pts
23York County67.3+0.3 pts
24Chesapeake city67-0.3 pts
25Greene County66.8-1.8 pts
26Hanover County66.3-0.1 pts
27Winchester city66.2-1.6 pts
28Hampton city66.1+0.2 pts
29Poquoson city66+1.5 pts
30Suffolk city65.8-0.7 pts
31Colonial Heights city64.9-0.1 pts
32Frederick County64.7+0.6 pts
33Charlottesville city64.7+0.6 pts
34New Kent County64.5-1 pts
35Waynesboro city64.5-0.3 pts
36Isle of Wight County64+0.3 pts
37Culpeper County63.8-0.9 pts
38Warren County63.8+0.3 pts
39Rockingham County63.6+0.1 pts
40Powhatan County63.1+1.8 pts
41Portsmouth city62.9-0.2 pts
42Floyd County62.8+2.7 pts
43Roanoke city62.7-1.2 pts
44Louisa County62.5+1.3 pts
45Petersburg city62.5+0.1 pts
46Gloucester County62.5-0.6 pts
47Albemarle County62.2+1.4 pts
48Cumberland County62.2-2.2 pts
49Prince George County62.1+1.2 pts
50King and Queen County62-0.2 pts
51Madison County61.8+1.4 pts
52Harrisonburg city61.4+1.3 pts
53Fluvanna County61.4+0.4 pts
54Dinwiddie County61.3-0.3 pts
55Clarke County61.1-0.7 pts
56Orange County61-0.9 pts
57Campbell County61+1 pts
58Hopewell city60.9+0.6 pts
58Salem city60.9-0.2 pts
60Roanoke County60.8-0.4 pts
61Augusta County60.4+0.3 pts
62Staunton city60.3-1.1 pts
63Amherst County60.2-0.5 pts
64Franklin city60.2+2.1 pts
65Appomattox County60.1-2 pts
66Rappahannock County59.9-1.7 pts
67Radford city59.8+0.9 pts
68Charles City County59.3+1.2 pts
69Page County59.3+0.4 pts
70Amelia County59.2-1.8 pts
71Shenandoah County59.1-0.7 pts
71Surry County59.1-1.3 pts
73Lynchburg city59.1-0.3 pts
74Botetourt County58.4-1 pts
75Bedford County57.7-0.2 pts
76Montgomery County57.2+1.3 pts
77Galax city57.1+1.1 pts
78Goochland County56.7+0.5 pts
79James City County56.5-0.7 pts
80Accomack County56.3+0.7 pts
81Southampton County56.2+0.3 pts
82Martinsville city56+0.3 pts
82Wythe County56-0.3 pts
84Rockbridge County55.9+0.6 pts
85Bristol city55.5-0.2 pts
86Giles County55.2-0.6 pts
87Pulaski County54.9+0.1 pts
88Nelson County54.7-1.7 pts
89Franklin County54.7+0.8 pts
90Buena Vista city54.5-3.7 pts
91Washington County53.6-0.8 pts
92Craig County53.3-0.8 pts
93Carroll County53.2+0.7 pts
94Pittsylvania County52.6-0.9 pts
95Emporia city52.2-0.9 pts
95Highland County52.2+4.4 pts
97Northampton County52.2+0.2 pts
98Danville city52.2+0.2 pts
99Henry County51.8+0.6 pts
100Charlotte County51.7-1 pts
101Norton city51.7-0 pts
102Halifax County50.9-0.6 pts
103Brunswick County50.7+0.7 pts
104Patrick County50.6+0.4 pts
105Westmoreland County50.6-0.4 pts
106Bath County50.5-0.6 pts
107Mecklenburg County50.5-0.8 pts
108Essex County50.4-3.8 pts
109Smyth County50.4+0.7 pts
110Williamsburg city50.2+0.8 pts
111Middlesex County50-1.4 pts
112Alleghany County49.7-0.2 pts
113Mathews County49.2+1.6 pts
114Buckingham County49.1-1.4 pts
115Sussex County49-1 pts
116Nottoway County48.5-1.6 pts
117Covington city47.3-6.5 pts
118Grayson County47.3-0.6 pts
119Lunenburg County47.2-2.1 pts
120Lancaster County46.6+0.2 pts
121Wise County46.40 pts
122Prince Edward County45.4-1.1 pts
123Scott County45.1-0.4 pts
124Tazewell County44.8-0.8 pts
125Richmond County44.5-0.4 pts
126Russell County44.4+1.1 pts
127Northumberland County44.2+1 pts
128Greensville County43.4+0.5 pts
129Bland County43.2-0.3 pts
130Lee County42+0.1 pts
131Lexington city42+0.2 pts
132Dickenson County41.2+1.5 pts
133Buchanan County35.3-1.3 pts

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/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-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), 2023) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-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), 2023. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b23025.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/virginia-counties?period=2023. 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), 2023. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b23025.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/virginia-counties?period=2023.

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), 2023 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b23025.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/virginia-counties?period=2023 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_virginia_by_2023,
  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), 2023}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b23025.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/virginia-counties?period=2023. 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/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-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), 2023
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b23025.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/virginia-counties?period=2023
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/virginia-counties?period=2023.
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/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-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)?

Alexandria city, with 78.2% in 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

Buchanan County, with 35.3% in 2023.

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