The unemployment rate in Culpeper County ticked slightly upward in July, a sign that more local folks have stopped looking for work.
In Culpeper, the seasonably unadjusted unemployment rate in July was 8.3 percent, compared to 8 percent in June, according to the latest figures released this week by the Virginia Employment Commission.
Culpeper still led the five-county region for unemployment in July, followed by Orange County (7.8 percent); Madison (6.7 percent); Rappahannock (5.8 percent) and Fauquier (5.6 percent).
Madison County saw its unemployment rate increase from 6.3 percent in June while Orange sustained a .10 percent increase month over month.
The unemployment rate in Fauquier stayed the same while in Rappahannock it went down a tenth of a percent.
Fauquier County had the 8th lowest unemployment rate in the state in July.
Arlington County continues to lead the state with the lowest unemployment rate (4.2 percent) while the city of Martinsville has the highest (20.6 percent).
The state’s unemployment rate in July was 7.1 percent; nationwide, it’s 9.7 percent.
Patrick Mauney with the Rappahannock-Rapidan Regional Commission said the five-county unemployment rates are pretty much in keeping with state and national trends.
“The labor force for Culpeper County dropped by about 500 from June to July (from 19,853 to 19,315) so that may indicate people have given up the job search,” he said.
The .3 percent upswing in Culpeper’s unemployment number is not a huge increase, Mauney said, considering the scope of the economic downturn of the past two years.
Though not saying that the job picture was turning around in a positive way, he allowed that the VEC is advertising more specialized jobs like in professional and business services.
Fauquier’s proximity to such jobs in northern Virginia and D.C. could be contributing to their lower unemployment rate, he said.
“I think in terms of looking at the statistics, it doesn’t raise huge eyebrows,” Mauney said. “If you look at July 2009 for Culpeper, it’s the same unemployment rate.”
According to the VEC, 1,747 Culpeper County residents collected unemployment benefits in July, compared to 1,724 last July.
Unemployment – July 2010
State – 7.1 percent
Nation – 9.7 percent
Culpeper – 8.3 percent
Fauquier – 5.6 percent
Madison – 6.7 percent
Orange – 7.8 percent
Rappahannock – 5.8 percent
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