(Richmond) — Local unemployment rates are up over the past month, but mostly holding steady from a year ago.
The May report from the Virginia Employment Commission shows Danville with a 4.7% jobless rate. That’s up sharply from April, but up only slightly from the same month a year ago.
On the down side, the Danville rate is third-highest in Virginia, training only Petersburg and Emporia.
Pittsylvania County still has the lowest rate in the region at 2.9%. That’s mostly unchanged from the prior month and the prior year. It’s the county’s lowest-ever May rate. The Virginia Employment Commission’s records go back to 1976.
Halifax County’s new rate is 3.7%. That’s exactly where it was a year ago. Henry County’s May rate was 3.4%. Martinsville reported a 4.3%jobless rate for May. While that’s fourth-highest in Virginia, it’s down slightly from a year ago.