Danville area unemployment drops

Unemployment rates for Danville and Pittsylvania County dropped from August to September, according to Virginia Employment Commission data.

Danville unemployment declined from 14 percent to 12.6 percent. Pittsylvania County unemployment declined from 11.3 percent to 10.1 percent. The Danville metropolitan statistical area (comprising both city and county) saw unemployment drop from 12.4 percent to 11.1 percent.

This brings unemployment back around to slightly better than where it was a year ago.

All metropolitan areas in Virginia saw similar drops from August to September, said Ann Lang, VEC senior economist. Danville still ranks as the metro area with the highest jobless rate.

Yet, the Danville area added 1,007 people to the civilian labor force from month to month.

Danville also added 2,000 jobs, mostly in the school systems, as the school year commenced, Lang said.

Additionally, initial jobless claims for most weeks in recent months show a decline from initial claims a year ago, Lang added.

“I think that’s good news,” Lang said.

This compares to Virginia’s unemployment rate of 6.5 percent and the national rate of 9.2 percent. All of these rates are seasonally unadjusted.

For more information, visit www.VirginiaLMI.com.

Local unemployment rates

Area                September 2010                   August 2010              September 2009

Virginia                            6.5%                                    7.0%                                 6.7%

Danville metro               11.1%                                 12.4%                              11.2%

Danville                         12.6%                                 14.0%                              12.9%

Pittsylvania County       10.1%                                 11.3%                              10.2%

Halifax County               12.0%                                 13.1%                              11.6%

Henry County                12.9%                                 14.0%                              13.6%

Martinsville city              18.6%                                 20.0%                              20.2%

Source: Virginia Employment Commission

Employment rankings of 134 localities

• 112: Pittsylvania County
• 127: Halifax County
• 130: Danville
• 131: Henry County
• 134: Martinsville