BLS - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

06/08/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 06/08/2026 13:08

County Employment and Wages in Virginia — Fourth Quarter 2025

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26-862-PHI
Monday, June 08, 2026

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County Employment and Wages in Virginia - Fourth Quarter 2025

Employment rose in 5 of the 9 largest counties in Virginia with published data from December 2024 to December 2025, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Acting Regional Commissioner Lori Keller noted that Loudoun County (+2.9 percent) had the largest over-the-year increase in employment. (See chart 1 and table 1.)

View Chart Data
Chart 1. Over-the-year percent change in covered employment among the largest counties in Virginia, December 2025
County Percent change, December 2025

Loudoun

2.9

Richmond City

1.7

Prince William

1.0

Virginia Beach City

0.4

Newport News City

0.1

Fairfax

-1.1

Norfolk City

-1.2

Alexandria City

-1.5

Arlington

-4.0

Fairfax County (632,400) had the highest employment level in Virginia in December 2025. Together, the 12 largest counties accounted for 55.1 percent of total covered employment within the state. Nationwide, the 372 largest counties comprise 73.4 percent of total covered employment in the United States. (Large counties and county equivalents are those with annual average employment levels of 75,000 or more in 2024.)


Large county average weekly wages in the fourth quarter 2025

All six large Virginia counties with published data reported average weekly wage gains over the year. (See chart 2.) Newport News City had the largest gain (+7.6 percent). Over-the-year wage gains among the other five large Virginia counties ranged from 4.1 percent to 0.3 percent.

View Chart Data
Chart 2. Over-the-year percent change in covered average weekly wages among the largest counties in Virginia, fourth quarter 2025
County Percent change, fourth quarter 2025

Newport News City

7.6

Loudoun

4.1

Virginia Beach City

4.1

Richmond City

3.6

Prince William

1.9

Fairfax

0.3

Weekly wages in 5 of the 12 largest counties in Virginia were above the national average of $1,569. Average weekly wages ranged from $2,559 in Arlington to $1,199 in Virginia Beach City.


Smaller county average weekly wages in the fourth quarter of 2025

Employment and wage levels (but not over-the-year changes) are also available for the 121 smaller counties in Virginia, defined as having employment below 75,000 in 2024. (See table 2.) Wage levels in 115 of the 121 smaller counties were below the national average. Surry reported the highest average weekly wage ($2,659) in the state. Emporia City reported the lowest average weekly wage ($776).

Among all 133 Virginia counties, 36 reported average weekly wages less than $1,000, 41 had wages from $1,000 to $1,124, 22 had wages from $1,125 to $1,249, and 34 had average weekly wages of $1,250 or higher. (See map 1 and table 2.)

Map 1. Average weekly wages by county in Virginia, fourth quarter 2025

U.S. average = $1,569

Additional statistics and other information

QCEW data for states have been included in this release in table 3.

Nationwide coverage of the largest counties is published in the County Employment and Wages news release. Additional information about quarterly employment and wages data is available in the news release Technical Note and from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages website.

If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

The County Employment and Wages release for the first quarter 2026 is scheduled to be released on Friday, August 28, 2026.

Table 1. Covered establishments, employment, and wages in the United States and the 12 largest counties in Virginia, fourth quarter 2025
Area Establishments,
fourth quarter
(thousands) 		Employment Average weekly wage (1)
December 2025
(thousands) 		Percent change,
December
2024-25 (2) 		National ranking
by percent change (3) 		Fourth quarter
2025 ($) 		National ranking
by level (3) 		Percent change,
fourth quarter
2024-25 (2) 		National ranking
by percent change (3)

United States (4)

12,428.4 156,700.2 0.2 -- 1,569 -- 4.2 --

Virginia

324.0 4,166.9 0.5 -- 1,585 12 2.6 50

Arlington

9.6 176.8 -4.0 365 2,559 9 (5) -

Chesterfield

10.6 152.7 (5) - 1,266 273 (5) -

Fairfax

39.0 632.4 -1.1 314 2,254 11 0.3 345

Henrico

12.9 193.9 (5) - 1,448 149 (5) -

Loudoun

15.1 208.0 2.9 5 1,772 41 4.1 182

Prince William

10.7 147.3 1.0 61 1,321 221 1.9 328

Alexandria City

6.3 80.2 -1.5 347 1,918 21 (5) -

Chesapeake City

7.1 107.1 (5) - 1,224 305 (5) -

Newport News City

4.5 103.0 0.1 152 1,424 163 7.6 8

Norfolk City

6.6 143.9 -1.2 325 1,483 125 (5) -

Richmond City

9.4 169.0 1.7 30 1,727 48 3.6 239

Virginia Beach City

14.3 180.7 0.4 107 1,199 320 4.1 182

Footnotes:
(1) Average weekly wages were calculated using unrounded data.
(2) Percent changes were computed from employment and pay data adjusted for noneconomic county reclassifications.
(3) Ranking does not include data for Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands.
(4) Totals for the United States do not include data for Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands.
(5) Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.

Note: Data are preliminary. Dashes indicate data not applicable or available. Covered employment and wages include workers covered by Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) programs.

Table 2. Covered establishments, employment, and wages in the United States and all counties in Virginia, fourth quarter 2025
Area Establishments Employment December 2025 Average weekly wage ($) (1)

United States (2)

12,428,415 156,700,218 1,569

Virginia

324,001 4,166,869 1,585

Accomack

1,179 12,622 1,116

Albemarle

4,202 66,410 1,559

Alleghany

468 3,191 923

Amelia

413 2,514 1,027

Amherst

765 7,798 1,010

Appomattox

518 3,680 899

Arlington

9,598 176,847 2,559

Augusta

2,026 31,402 1,224

Bath

217 2,302 1,214

Bedford

2,318 18,842 1,026

Bland

147 2,175 1,305

Botetourt

990 12,561 1,145

Brunswick

470 3,274 1,055

Buchanan

523 5,495 1,242

Buckingham

481 3,067 1,061

Campbell

1,743 18,944 1,460

Caroline

754 7,181 968

Carroll

657 5,806 859

Charles City

235 2,090 1,268

Charlotte

445 2,693 1,012

Chesterfield

10,567 152,732 1,266

Clarke

479 4,282 1,161

Craig

147 745 1,058

Culpeper

1,571 16,411 1,133

Cumberland

249 1,414 922

Dickenson

319 3,325 1,118

Dinwiddie

543 9,985 1,229

Essex

396 3,636 1,018

Fairfax

39,016 632,415 2,254

Fauquier

2,566 23,934 1,388

Floyd

513 3,808 913

Fluvanna

668 4,693 1,154

Franklin

1,647 15,824 1,001

Frederick

2,257 38,396 1,237

Giles

448 5,302 1,066

Gloucester

1,103 10,099 979

Goochland

1,019 19,048 2,278

Grayson

359 3,106 794

Greene

543 3,986 905

Greensville

230 3,594 1,323

Halifax

988 11,841 1,101

Hanover

4,256 57,915 1,260

Henrico

12,885 193,895 1,448

Henry

1,729 15,174 913

Highland

122 604 1,036

Isle of Wight

934 9,939 1,122

James City

2,331 30,862 1,095

King and Queen

210 1,165 1,248

King George

683 13,239 1,817

King William

496 4,398 1,229

Lancaster

564 4,683 1,109

Lee

522 4,162 967

Loudoun

15,106 208,024 1,772

Louisa

1,064 10,352 1,316

Lunenburg

359 2,349 1,001

Madison

444 3,043 1,124

Mathews

253 1,554 894

Mecklenburg

1,054 11,988 1,113

Middlesex

402 3,200 973

Montgomery

2,592 45,034 1,204

Nelson

538 4,061 1,021

New Kent

598 6,348 1,136

Northampton

588 4,349 926

Northumberland

386 2,320 1,089

Nottoway

494 5,366 1,097

Orange

1,047 9,343 1,015

Page

623 5,413 926

Patrick

486 4,009 860

Pittsylvania

1,427 13,183 986

Powhatan

905 8,658 1,175

Prince Edward

732 8,537 1,012

Prince George

708 15,671 1,234

Prince William

10,739 147,289 1,321

Pulaski

879 13,971 1,071

Rappahannock

280 1,584 1,013

Richmond

310 3,030 1,002

Roanoke

2,742 37,442 1,129

Rockbridge

590 6,214 952

Rockingham

2,071 34,990 1,171

Russell

563 6,186 1,010

Scott

397 4,954 944

Shenandoah

1,175 12,963 1,013

Smyth

795 11,058 1,019

Southampton

343 3,516 1,020

Spotsylvania

3,687 38,395 1,093

Stafford

3,439 51,498 1,269

Surry

138 2,264 2,659

Sussex

280 3,209 1,040

Tazewell

1,006 13,476 907

Warren

1,186 12,951 1,095

Washington

1,622 21,029 997

Westmoreland

507 3,161 985

Wise

793 11,094 961

Wythe

918 11,462 960

York

1,739 22,496 1,123

Alexandria City

6,322 80,225 1,918

Bristol City

621 11,222 918

Buena Vista City

170 2,384 1,096

Charlottesville City

2,600 37,027 1,636

Chesapeake City

7,104 107,119 1,224

Colonial Heights City

742 9,694 902

Covington City

298 3,668 1,149

Danville City

1,817 25,163 989

Emporia City

258 2,734 776

Fairfax City

1,828 25,414 1,426

Falls Church City

1,072 12,510 1,591

Franklin City

313 3,834 852

Fredericksburg City

1,757 24,908 1,282

Galax City

405 5,611 868

Hampton City

3,170 50,736 1,266

Harrisonburg City

1,776 31,665 1,064

Hopewell City

539 7,295 1,398

Lexington City

318 5,628 975

Lynchburg City

2,772 47,625 1,236

Manassas City

1,589 24,413 1,835

Manassas Park City

336 3,883 1,512

Martinsville City

970 8,815 864

Newport News City

4,534 102,967 1,424

Norfolk City

6,552 143,853 1,483

Norton City

235 3,135 967

Petersburg City

1,036 11,821 1,096

Poquoson City

247 1,870 974

Portsmouth City

1,911 42,288 1,330

Radford City

379 6,672 1,007

Richmond City

9,437 168,994 1,727

Roanoke City

3,668 67,193 1,296

Salem City

1,138 20,630 1,297

Staunton City

900 11,921 995

Suffolk City

2,289 45,088 1,211

Virginia Beach City

14,290 180,739 1,199

Waynesboro City

768 10,631 965

Williamsburg City

583 13,225 1,037

Winchester City

1,479 25,585 1,276

Footnotes:
(1) Average weekly wages were calculated using unrounded data.
(2) Totals for the United States do not include data for Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands.

Note: Data are preliminary. Dashes indicate data not applicable or available. Covered employment and wages include workers covered by Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) programs.

Table 3. Covered establishments, employment, and wages by state, fourth quarter 2025
State Establishments,
fourth quarter
(thousands) 		Employment Average weekly wage (1)
December 2025
(thousands) 		Percent change,
December
2024-25 		Fourth quarter
2025 ($) 		National ranking
by level 		Percent change,
fourth quarter
2024-25 		National ranking
by percent change

United States (2)

12,428.4 156,700.2 0.2 1,569 -- 4.2 --

Alabama

167.4 2,135.3 0.5 1,301 36 3.7 37

Alaska

25.3 317.3 -0.3 1,497 16 4.7 14

Arizona

227.4 3,278.3 0.0 1,446 20 3.0 47

Arkansas

113.0 1,318.2 0.4 1,213 49 5.0 8

California

2,013.7 18,351.7 0.6 1,954 4 4.6 16

Colorado

258.5 2,896.4 -0.6 1,683 8 5.6 3

Connecticut

149.8 1,706.5 0.1 1,801 6 5.0 8

Delaware

47.3 481.0 0.1 1,502 15 4.7 14

District of Columbia

51.0 726.1 -4.5 2,587 1 4.1 24

Florida

886.2 10,013.2 0.3 1,471 17 4.8 12

Georgia

398.7 4,925.4 0.1 1,440 21 3.5 40

Hawaii

63.0 650.0 -0.2 1,411 25 5.0 8

Idaho

104.3 875.7 1.8 1,303 35 5.8 2

Illinois

387.7 6,089.5 -0.1 1,588 11 3.3 42

Indiana

195.6 3,211.2 0.1 1,276 40 4.5 17

Iowa

110.6 1,560.0 -0.2 1,282 39 3.7 37

Kansas

101.8 1,443.2 -0.1 1,268 44 4.1 24

Kentucky

161.3 2,008.7 -0.1 1,235 46 3.8 34

Louisiana

159.2 1,927.3 -0.5 1,267 45 3.2 44

Maine

67.6 644.7 -0.1 1,332 33 4.2 21

Maryland

199.5 2,754.6 -1.1 1,616 10 3.0 47

Massachusetts

298.5 3,625.5 -0.9 1,980 2 4.9 11

Michigan

316.9 4,412.7 0.0 1,427 23 4.2 21

Minnesota

215.2 2,948.0 0.0 1,505 14 3.7 37

Mississippi

92.2 1,180.9 0.3 1,075 51 5.1 7

Missouri

259.9 2,920.8 -0.1 1,324 34 4.4 18

Montana

62.3 512.3 -0.1 1,296 38 3.3 42

Nebraska

78.5 1,024.0 -0.2 1,275 42 4.0 31

Nevada

111.0 1,592.1 1.7 1,395 27 3.2 44

New Hampshire

67.9 688.8 -0.6 1,652 9 4.8 12

New Jersey

343.1 4,343.1 0.2 1,691 7 3.9 33

New Mexico

69.7 875.3 -0.3 1,275 42 4.1 24

New York

719.1 9,907.5 0.4 1,975 3 5.4 4

North Carolina

392.1 4,991.1 0.9 1,409 26 3.8 34

North Dakota

37.0 430.4 -0.2 1,350 31 2.7 49

Ohio

348.5 5,554.4 0.0 1,358 30 4.1 24

Oklahoma

129.3 1,717.1 0.1 1,217 48 4.1 24

Oregon

177.9 1,975.8 -1.0 1,468 19 3.2 44

Pennsylvania

398.1 6,094.8 0.2 1,470 18 4.0 31

Rhode Island

49.1 500.3 -0.1 1,429 22 6.0 1

South Carolina

192.4 2,344.7 1.5 1,276 40 4.3 20

South Dakota

41.2 458.9 -0.2 1,230 47 4.1 24

Tennessee

225.2 3,281.6 -0.3 1,424 24 3.8 34

Texas

860.8 14,255.2 0.8 1,549 13 4.2 21

Utah

144.6 1,761.6 1.4 1,389 28 4.1 24

Vermont

34.5 309.3 -0.9 1,378 29 5.3 5

Virginia

324.0 4,166.9 0.5 1,585 12 2.6 50

Washington

242.1 3,590.3 -0.3 1,948 5 2.4 51

West Virginia

62.8 698.3 -0.6 1,203 50 3.5 40

Wisconsin

213.9 2,946.2 -0.1 1,346 32 5.3 5

Wyoming

31.7 278.4 -0.8 1,297 37 4.4 18

Puerto Rico

53.5 974.7 -0.2 735 (3) 2.8 (3)

Virgin Islands

3.0 34.7 0.3 1,068 (3) 2.7 (3)

Footnotes:
(1) Average weekly wages were calculated using unrounded data.
(2) Totals for the United States do not include data for Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands.
(3) Data not included in the national ranking.

Note: Data are preliminary. Dashes indicate data not applicable or available. Covered employment and wages include workers covered by Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) programs.

BLS - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics published this content on June 08, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on June 08, 2026 at 19:09 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]