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
653,420
Employment
600,799
Unemployment
52,621
Unemployment Rate (Percent)
8.1
Source: Virginia Employment Commission, May 2009.
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, 2007-2008
13,994
Going on to 4-year college
6,677
Going on to 2-year college
3,763
Going on to other training
1,094
Not continuing education
2,460
Area post-secondary degrees conferred, 2007-2008
9,410
Associates
1,391
Bachelor's
5,410
Degrees beyond Bachelor's
2,609
Commuters into MSA
29,258
Commuters out of MSA
28,612
Downsizing, FY 2008-2009
10,560
Net migration, 2000-2008
70,817
Underemployment, Q4 2008
35,124
Unemployment, May 2009
52,621
Unemployment Rate, May 2009
8.1