Labor Force

The Richmond metro area is a magnet for labor, drawing a workforce from more than 40 localities statewide. Diverse industries and companies combined with numerous educational institutions provide an ample supply of employees with positive work attitudes and a range of skills and experience for new and expanding companies.

Civilian Labor Force
657,985
Employment
605,753
Unemployment
52,232
Unemployment Rate (Percent)
7.9
Source: Virginia Employment Commission, June 2010.
Labor Availability

Young people graduating from high school, college, and other training and entering the labor force are the largest continuing source of labor for the long term. In the Richmond MSA there are more than 13,000 high school graduates each year and the area's institutions of higher education confer more than 9,000 post-secondary degrees each year.

Area public high school graduates, 2008-2009
14,254
Going on to 4-year college
6,619
Going on to 2-year college
3,837
Going on to other training
1,190
Not continuing education
2,608
Area post-secondary degrees conferred, 2008-2009
9,632
Associates
1,514
Bachelor's
5,402
Degrees beyond Bachelor's
2,716
Commuters into MSA
29,258
Commuters out of MSA
28,612
Downsizing, FY 2009-2010
2,163
Net migration, 2000-2009
93,598
Underemployment, Q1 2010
52,596
Unemployment, June 2010
52,232
Unemployment Rate, June 2010
7.9