Danville jobless rate remains same

The unemployment rate for the Danville metropolitan area remained the same from May to June, but the state’s jobless numbers went up.

The metropolitan area, which includes Danville and Pittsylvania County, saw 12.8 percent unemployment in June with 6,810 out of work, compared to 7.3 percent for the commonwealth and 9.7percent nationally. Virginia joblessness was at 7 percent in May.

Of the state’s 10 metropolitan areas, Danville was the only one with an unchanged jobless rate while the remaining areas saw increases in unemployment from May to June, said Bill Mezger, chief economist with the Virginia Employment Commission. Unemployment figures were steady across Southside in Halifax County, Henry County and the city of Martinsville, Mezger said.

However, Southside has some of the highest unemployment figures in the state and Danville leads the 10 metropolitan areas in unemployment.

Other, more urbanized metro areas experienced added unemployment because of a glut of high-school and college students entering the labor pool during summer break, Mezger said. In addition, furloughs at auto-industry suppliers statewide as well as layoffs at Chrysler and General Motors dealerships contributed to the commonwealth’s increase in unemployment.

For Danville and the rest of Southside, a lull in manufacturing furloughs and layoffs and a lower student population kept jobless numbers stable, Mezger said.

“Danville doesn’t have a large youth … population,” Mezger said. “You don’t get as much of an increase in unemployment in the summer.”

The Danville metro area’s unemployment rate was 7.2 percent in June 2008.

The city of Danville’s jobless number was 14.4 percent in June with 3,008 unemployed, down slightly from May’s 14.6 percent with 3,069 out of work. Danville’s unemployment was at 8.5 percent in June 2008.

The June jobless figure for Pittsylvania County was 11.7 percent, with 3,798 unemployed, a slight increase from 11.6 percent and 3,774 out of work in May. The county’s rate was 6.4 percent in June 2008.

Halifax County saw a small increase in unemployment, from 12 percent in May to 12.3 percent in June, compared to 6.4 percent in June 2008.

Henry County’s joblessness was unchanged from May to June, staying at 15.4 percent, compared to 7.6 percent in June 2008.

The city of Martinsville experienced a slight drop from 22 percent in May to 21.6 percent in June. Martinsville’s unemployment figure was 11.2 percent in June 2008.

• Contact Crane at or (434) 791-7987.