James City and York counties again stayed below the state and national unemployment rates in the last quarter of 2012, while the City of Williamsburg maintains its double-digits rate.
Last week, the Virginia Employment Commission released a breakdown of unemployment rates by county for December 2012. Earlier this month, the VEC’s numbers showed Virginia’s 5.4 percent unemployment rate for December 2012 is at the lowest since December 2008 and the lowest in the Southeast. Virginia has the 11th lowest unemployment rate—tied with Minnesota—in the U.S.
The U.S. unemployment rate stood at 7.6 percent in December 2012.
The Historic Triangle showed an average decrease in the unemployment rate from 2012’s third quarter: The City of Williamsburg showed unemployment rates of 12.2 percent, 12.3 percent and 12.2 percent in October, November and December, respectively; James City County’s rates stood at 4.3 percent, 4.2 percent and 4.5 percent; and York County posted rates of 4.6 percent, 4.5 percent and 4.6 percent.
In the third quarter, City of Williamsburg, James City County and York County had average rates of 12.8 percent, 4.8 percent and 4.9 percent, respectively.
James City County posted the highest month-to-month increase in the fourth quarter with a three-tenths increase from November to December, putting it 11th in the state in December.
All three municipalities posted year-highs in the fourth quarter: James City and York counties had their best showings in November, while Williamsburg had its lowest rate in October and matched in December.
All three have also shown decreases since January 2012. James City County started the year with a 6.5 percent unemployment rate and ended at 4.5 percent; York County went from 5.4 percent to 4.6 percent; and Williamsburg began with 16.4 percent and fell to 12.2 percent.
Gov. Bob McDonnell said Jan. 18 he hopes the 2013 General Assembly, now in session, will continue the policies that are helping to decrease the unemployment rate, as well as implement new policies that will encourage private-sector investment and job creation.
“Nothing is more important in this effort than passing a transportation funding plan that will ensure Virginia has the resources necessary to build and sustain the 21st century transportation system that is so critical to future economic development and job creation,” McDonnell said in a statement.
