The number of unemployed Northern Virginians spiked 41% year-over-year in November 2025, according to new federal data.
A total of 65,357 residents in the Virginia portion of the Washington metropolitan area were counted as unemployed for the month, according to figures released Jan. 16 by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That compares to the 46,381 residents tallied as seeking jobs in November 2024.
Northern Virginia’s unemployment rate of 3.7% for November 2025 was up from 2.6% a year before, according to the new figures.
The spike in joblessness across Northern Virginia was slightly lower than across the metro area as a whole.
For November, there were 158,736 residents in the D.C. region counted as looking for work, up 47.7% from 107,504 a year before. The 3% jobless rate for the metro area in November 2024 had grown to 4.5% in the November 2025 report.
Statewide, the number of Virginians counted as unemployed in November was 173,136, up 31.2% from 131,957 a year before, according to figures reported by the Virginia Department of Workforce Development and Advancement.
November’s non-seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate of 3.9% statewide was up from 2.9% a year before, according to state data.
Nationally, year-over-year jobless rates were higher in November in 259 metro areas, lower in 100 and unchanged in 28, according to federal officials.
The national, non-seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate in November was 4.3%, up from 4% a year previously.
Nationally, the lowest jobless rate for a metro area was turned in by Sioux Falls, South Dakota (2%), with El Centro, California, recording the highest (20%).
Of the 56 metro areas with populations of more than 1 million, Honolulu had the lowest rate (2.3%) and Fresno the highest (8.1%).
Publication of November 2025 data by the Bureau of Labor Statistics was delayed due to the seven-week shutdown of the federal government last fall. October figures were not collected owing to the shutdown.
Virginia’s locality data has not been posted yet by state officials, as of press time. All November 2025 figures are preliminary and subject to revision.
Photo via Resume Genius on Unsplash
