New statistics from the Bureau of Labor Statistics show that Virginia added more jobs than any other state in the region last year.
Over the course of the last year, Virginia added about 97,000 jobs. That’s more jobs than any of the commonwealth’s neighbors and the fastest rate of growth in the region.
"In terms of trends, Virginia has followed national averages. But Virginia has also outperformed national averages.", says Carol Scotese, chairwoman of the Economic Department at Virginia Commonwealth University, “So, for example, employment growth nationwide has been at about two percent over the last year whereas in Virginia it’s been 2.5 percent."
Luke Juday at the University of Virginia Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service says the growth has been focused in several key areas. He says, "The largest sectors that are driving this are what they call professional and business services, that’s going to include a lot of legal and government and tech type of jobs, leisure and hospitality and education and health."
Richmond has seen some of the strongest rates of job growth, increasing about 4.3 percent over the last year. That mirrors a national trend benefiting university towns with a strong knowledge-based economy.
