Data / Rankings / Unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate) / Counties in Virginia

Counties in Virginia by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024

Highland County had the highest unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate) of 133 counties in 2024, at 12%. Lexington city had the lowest, at 0.6%. The median was 3.8% and the figure for Virginia was 4.3%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest12Highland County
Lowest0.6Lexington city
Median3.8133 counties
Virginia4.3History

Map of counties, 2024

Accomack County: 3.4 %Albemarle County: 3.4 %Alleghany County: 2.3 %Amelia County: 3.8 %Amherst County: 4.7 %Appomattox County: 5.1 %Arlington County: 3.3 %Augusta County: 2.4 %Bath County: 1.3 %Bedford County: 3.1 %Bland County: 2.3 %Botetourt County: 2.4 %Brunswick County: 3.3 %Buchanan County: 3.9 %Buckingham County: 4.7 %Campbell County: 3.7 %Caroline County: 5.3 %Carroll County: 5.5 %Charles City County: 3.9 %Charlotte County: 2.4 %Chesterfield County: 4.6 %Clarke County: 2.7 %Craig County: 2.2 %Culpeper County: 2.6 %Cumberland County: 3.3 %Dickenson County: 2.3 %Dinwiddie County: 4.6 %Essex County: 3.9 %Fairfax County: 4.2 %Fauquier County: 2.9 %Floyd County: 3.6 %Fluvanna County: 4.2 %Franklin County: 2.4 %Frederick County: 4.2 %Giles County: 2.2 %Gloucester County: 3 %Goochland County: 1.7 %Grayson County: 3.6 %Greene County: 1.8 %Greensville County: 6.3 %Halifax County: 4.2 %Hanover County: 2.7 %Henrico County: 3.9 %Henry County: 4.1 %Highland County: 12 %Isle of Wight County: 3.9 %James City County: 2.8 %King and Queen County: 5.2 %King George County: 3.7 %King William County: 2.3 %Lancaster County: 9.6 %Lee County: 9.5 %Loudoun County: 3.3 %Louisa County: 5.8 %Lunenburg County: 3.6 %Madison County: 4.3 %Mathews County: 4.5 %Mecklenburg County: 2.6 %Middlesex County: 2.9 %Montgomery County: 2.9 %Nelson County: 3.3 %New Kent County: 2.3 %Northampton County: 3.3 %Northumberland County: 3.8 %Nottoway County: 2.8 %Orange County: 3.4 %Page County: 5.5 %Patrick County: 2.5 %Pittsylvania County: 4.7 %Powhatan County: 3.7 %Prince Edward County: 1.5 %Prince George County: 5.2 %Prince William County: 4.8 %Pulaski County: 3.2 %Rappahannock County: 9.2 %Richmond County: 2.5 %Roanoke County: 2.8 %Rockbridge County: 3.9 %Rockingham County: 2.7 %Russell County: 3.6 %Scott County: 2.8 %Shenandoah County: 4.8 %Smyth County: 3.1 %Southampton County: 5.5 %Spotsylvania County: 5.1 %Stafford County: 3.7 %Surry County: 5 %Sussex County: 4.1 %Tazewell County: 3.8 %Warren County: 4.9 %Washington County: 3 %Westmoreland County: 7.3 %Wise County: 8.2 %Wythe County: 4 %York County: 4.2 %Alexandria city: 3.3 %Bristol city: 6.3 %Buena Vista city: 1.4 %Charlottesville city: 3.7 %Chesapeake city: 4.9 %Colonial Heights city: 3.6 %Covington city: 2.8 %Danville city: 5.6 %Emporia city: 3 %Fairfax city: 3.3 %Falls Church city: 5 %Franklin city: 7.9 %Fredericksburg city: 5.1 %Galax city: 5.1 %Hampton city: 6.3 %Harrisonburg city: 6.9 %Hopewell city: 9.2 %Lexington city: 0.6 %Lynchburg city: 5.3 %Manassas city: 3.8 %Manassas Park city: 5.5 %Martinsville city: 2.9 %Newport News city: 5.8 %Norfolk city: 5.7 %Norton city: 3.8 %Petersburg city: 10.1 %Poquoson city: 3.2 %Portsmouth city: 6.6 %Radford city: 8.1 %Richmond city: 5.7 %Roanoke city: 5.6 %Salem city: 3.6 %Staunton city: 5.3 %Suffolk city: 5 %Virginia Beach city: 4 %Waynesboro city: 5.1 %Williamsburg city: 6.8 %Winchester city: 6.4 %
  • Under 2.7
  • 2.7 to 3.3
  • 3.3 to 3.8
  • 3.8 to 4.7
  • 4.7 to 5.6
  • 5.6 and over
%, 2024. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2024

Highland County: 12 %Highland County12Petersburg city: 10.1 %Petersburg city10.1Lancaster County: 9.6 %Lancaster County9.6Lee County: 9.5 %Lee County9.5Hopewell city: 9.2 %Hopewell city9.2Rappahannock County: 9.2 %Rappahannock County9.2Wise County: 8.2 %Wise County8.2Radford city: 8.1 %Radford city8.1Franklin city: 7.9 %Franklin city7.9Westmoreland County: 7.3 %Westmoreland County7.3Harrisonburg city: 6.9 %Harrisonburg city6.9Williamsburg city: 6.8 %Williamsburg city6.8Portsmouth city: 6.6 %Portsmouth city6.6Winchester city: 6.4 %Winchester city6.4Hampton city: 6.3 %Hampton city6.3Bristol city: 6.3 %Bristol city6.3Greensville County: 6.3 %Greensville County6.3Louisa County: 5.8 %Louisa County5.8Newport News city: 5.8 %Newport News city5.8Richmond city: 5.7 %Richmond city5.7Norfolk city: 5.7 %Norfolk city5.7Roanoke city: 5.6 %Roanoke city5.6Danville city: 5.6 %Danville city5.6Carroll County: 5.5 %Carroll County5.5Manassas Park city: 5.5 %Manassas Park city5.5Page County: 5.5 %Page County5.5Southampton County: 5.5 %Southampton County5.5Lynchburg city: 5.3 %Lynchburg city5.3Staunton city: 5.3 %Staunton city5.3Caroline County: 5.3 %Caroline County5.3Prince George County: 5.2 %Prince George County5.2King and Queen County: 5.2 %King and Queen County5.2Appomattox County: 5.1 %Appomattox County5.1Galax city: 5.1 %Galax city5.1Waynesboro city: 5.1 %Waynesboro city5.1Spotsylvania County: 5.1 %Spotsylvania County5.1Fredericksburg city: 5.1 %Fredericksburg city5.1Surry County: 5 %Surry County5Falls Church city: 5 %Falls Church city5Suffolk city: 5 %Suffolk city5Highland County: 12 %Highland County12Petersburg city: 10.1 %Petersburg city10.1Lancaster County: 9.6 %Lancaster County9.6Lee County: 9.5 %Lee County9.5Hopewell city: 9.2 %Hopewell city9.2Rappahannock County: 9.2 %Rappahannock County9.2Wise County: 8.2 %Wise County8.2Radford city: 8.1 %Radford city8.1Franklin city: 7.9 %Franklin city7.9Westmoreland County: 7.3 %Westmoreland County7.3Harrisonburg city: 6.9 %Harrisonburg city6.9Williamsburg city: 6.8 %Williamsburg city6.8Portsmouth city: 6.6 %Portsmouth city6.6Winchester city: 6.4 %Winchester city6.4Hampton city: 6.3 %Hampton city6.3Bristol city: 6.3 %Bristol city6.3Greensville County: 6.3 %Greensville County6.3Louisa County: 5.8 %Louisa County5.8Newport News city: 5.8 %Newport News city5.8Richmond city: 5.7 %Richmond city5.7Norfolk city: 5.7 %Norfolk city5.7Roanoke city: 5.6 %Roanoke city5.6Danville city: 5.6 %Danville city5.6Carroll County: 5.5 %Carroll County5.5Manassas Park city: 5.5 %Manassas Park city5.5Page County: 5.5 %Page County5.5Southampton County: 5.5 %Southampton County5.5Lynchburg city: 5.3 %Lynchburg city5.3Staunton city: 5.3 %Staunton city5.3Caroline County: 5.3 %Caroline County5.3Prince George County: 5.2 %Prince George County5.2King and Queen County: 5.2 %King and Queen County5.2Appomattox County: 5.1 %Appomattox County5.1Galax city: 5.1 %Galax city5.1Waynesboro city: 5.1 %Waynesboro city5.1Spotsylvania County: 5.1 %Spotsylvania County5.1Fredericksburg city: 5.1 %Fredericksburg city5.1Surry County: 5 %Surry County5Falls Church city: 5 %Falls Church city5Suffolk city: 5 %Suffolk city5
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2024 (%)Change on 2023
1Highland County12-4.1 pts
2Petersburg city10.1-1.3 pts
3Lancaster County9.6-0.4 pts
4Lee County9.5+0.3 pts
5Hopewell city9.2-0.1 pts
6Rappahannock County9.2+1.9 pts
7Wise County8.2-0.2 pts
8Radford city8.1+0.5 pts
9Franklin city7.9+3.2 pts
10Westmoreland County7.3-0.2 pts
11Harrisonburg city6.9-0.2 pts
12Williamsburg city6.8-0.3 pts
13Portsmouth city6.6-0.1 pts
14Winchester city6.4+0.6 pts
15Hampton city6.30 pts
16Bristol city6.3+1.9 pts
17Greensville County6.3-0.4 pts
18Louisa County5.8+0.1 pts
19Newport News city5.8-0.1 pts
20Richmond city5.7-0.3 pts
21Norfolk city5.7-0.4 pts
22Roanoke city5.6+0.1 pts
23Danville city5.6+0.6 pts
24Carroll County5.5+0.5 pts
24Manassas Park city5.5+2.1 pts
26Page County5.5+0.5 pts
27Southampton County5.5-0.8 pts
28Lynchburg city5.3+0.3 pts
29Staunton city5.3+0.3 pts
30Caroline County5.3+0.7 pts
31Prince George County5.2-0.4 pts
32King and Queen County5.2+0.2 pts
33Appomattox County5.1+0.9 pts
34Galax city5.1-0.4 pts
34Waynesboro city5.1+1.3 pts
36Spotsylvania County5.1-0.2 pts
37Fredericksburg city5.1+0.4 pts
38Surry County50 pts
39Falls Church city5-1.3 pts
40Suffolk city5-0.3 pts
41Chesapeake city4.9-0 pts
42Warren County4.9+0.1 pts
43Prince William County4.8+0.3 pts
44Shenandoah County4.8+0.9 pts
45Buckingham County4.7-0.1 pts
46Pittsylvania County4.7-0.3 pts
47Amherst County4.7+0.8 pts
48Chesterfield County4.60 pts
49Dinwiddie County4.6-0.2 pts
50Mathews County4.5-1.5 pts
51Madison County4.3+0.1 pts
52Fairfax County4.2+0.2 pts
52Frederick County4.2+0.1 pts
52Halifax County4.2+0.3 pts
55York County4.2-0.1 pts
56Fluvanna County4.2+0.4 pts
57Sussex County4.1-0.3 pts
58Henry County4.10 pts
59Wythe County4+0.1 pts
60Virginia Beach city4-0.3 pts
61Charles City County3.9-1 pts
62Henrico County3.90 pts
62Isle of Wight County3.9-0.7 pts
64Buchanan County3.9+0.2 pts
64Essex County3.9-2.4 pts
64Rockbridge County3.9+0.6 pts
67Northumberland County3.8+0.1 pts
67Norton city3.8-1.6 pts
67Tazewell County3.8-0.9 pts
70Manassas city3.8+0.5 pts
71Amelia County3.8-1.5 pts
72Stafford County3.7-0.1 pts
73Campbell County3.7-1 pts
73King George County3.7-0.1 pts
75Charlottesville city3.7-1 pts
76Powhatan County3.7+0.6 pts
77Russell County3.6-0.8 pts
78Salem city3.6+0.2 pts
79Grayson County3.6-0.3 pts
80Colonial Heights city3.6-0.1 pts
81Floyd County3.6+0.3 pts
81Lunenburg County3.6-0.1 pts
83Accomack County3.4-0.4 pts
83Albemarle County3.4+0.1 pts
85Orange County3.4-0.3 pts
86Brunswick County3.3-3 pts
86Northampton County3.3-0.8 pts
88Loudoun County3.3+0.1 pts
89Alexandria city3.3-0.1 pts
89Arlington County3.30 pts
91Cumberland County3.3+0.4 pts
91Nelson County3.3-0 pts
93Fairfax city3.3-1.2 pts
94Pulaski County3.2-0.4 pts
95Poquoson city3.2+1.4 pts
96Bedford County3.1-0.1 pts
97Smyth County3.10 pts
98Gloucester County3-0.3 pts
98Washington County3-0.7 pts
100Emporia city3-0.4 pts
101Montgomery County2.9-0.4 pts
102Martinsville city2.9-1.5 pts
103Middlesex County2.9-1.5 pts
104Fauquier County2.9+0.5 pts
105Nottoway County2.8-2.4 pts
106Scott County2.8-0.1 pts
107Covington city2.8+0.4 pts
107James City County2.8-0.8 pts
107Roanoke County2.8-0.2 pts
110Rockingham County2.7-0 pts
111Hanover County2.70 pts
112Clarke County2.7-0.8 pts
113Mecklenburg County2.6-0.4 pts
114Culpeper County2.6-0.3 pts
115Patrick County2.5+0.5 pts
116Richmond County2.5-0.4 pts
117Augusta County2.4-0.6 pts
118Botetourt County2.4-0.2 pts
119Charlotte County2.4+0.1 pts
120Franklin County2.4-0.3 pts
121Bland County2.3+0.6 pts
121King William County2.3-1.2 pts
123Alleghany County2.3-0.2 pts
124New Kent County2.3-0.4 pts
125Dickenson County2.3-0.5 pts
126Craig County2.2-0.2 pts
127Giles County2.2-0.1 pts
128Greene County1.8-1.3 pts
129Goochland County1.7-0.9 pts
130Prince Edward County1.5-0.7 pts
131Buena Vista city1.4-0.8 pts
132Bath County1.3-0.7 pts
133Lexington city0.6-0 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

Unemployed civilians aged 16 and over as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over. United States: American Community Survey five-year estimate, where the period shown is the last year of the five-year span.

An average over five years of survey responses, so it moves slowly. The official monthly and annual rates for states and counties are unemployment_rate, from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics.

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: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-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: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs (Counties in Virginia by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b23025.dat

MLA 9

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs, Counties in Virginia by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b23025.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/virginia-counties. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs. Counties in Virginia by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b23025.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/virginia-counties.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs, Counties in Virginia by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b23025.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/virginia-counties (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_virginia_by_2024,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs: Counties in Virginia by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b23025.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/virginia-counties. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary\_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b23025.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs: Counties in Virginia by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b23025.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/virginia-counties
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/virginia-counties.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b23025.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Questions

Which county has the highest unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate)?

Highland County, with 12% in 2024, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate)?

Lexington city, with 0.6% in 2024.

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: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate): other rankings

Counties in Virginia: more rankings