The numbers of Central Virginians working in December decreased and the number looking for jobs rose as the region’s unemployment edged up in the last month of 2011, according to figures released by the Virginia Employment Commission.
Figures show that the Charlottesville Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses most of Central Virginia, had an unemployment rate of 5 percent in December, about .4 of a percentage point above November’s 4.6 percent rate.
The number of unemployed in December was 5,536 compared to November’s 5,219, the VEC figures show. The number of people employed decreased from November’s 107,575 to 106,128.
“That’s still better than where we were in December of 2010, but it does show that the economy is only creeping along,” said Timothy Hulbert, executive director of the Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce. “We have more jobs compared to December 2010 and fewer unemployed. The unemployment rate is also lower. It was 5.2 percent in 2010.”
VEC figures show that Albemarle County’s unemployment rate increased from 4.3 percent in November to 4.6 percent in December. The county had a 4.9 percent rate in December 2010.
Charlottesville’s unemployment rate was 5.6 percent in December compared to 5.3 percent in November and 5.9 percent in December 2010.
The same trend occurred throughout the state as unemployment rose .4 of a percentage point, officials said.
“Virginia’s not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate continues below the national unadjusted rate, which increased to 8.3 percent in December from 8.2 percent in November,” said Ann D. Lang, senior economist for the VEC.
Lang said the 54,434 Virginians received a regular unemployment benefit in December 2011, which was up from 51,569 in November 2011, but down from 66,484 in December 2010.
“The unemployment figures remain fairly positive and the change is statistically relatively insignificant,” Hulbert said. “But there’s nothing insignificant about the statistics if you’re the one who’s unemployed. If you don’t have a job, you’re 100 percent unemployed.”
This story was edited for correction Feb. 2, 2012.
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