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Arlington’s Unemployment Rate Remains Low

by ARLnow.com | September 29, 2010 at 11:05 am | 446 views | 13 Comments

Arlington’s unemployment rate dipped 0.1 percent to 4.1 percent in August, easily maintaining the county’s distinction of having the lowest unemployment rate in Virginia.

By contrast, the unemployment rate statewide remained steady at 7.0 percent, Alexandria increased slightly from 4.9 to 5.0 percent, and Fairfax County decreased slightly from 5.0 to 4.9 percent. Nationally, the unemployment rate dipped 0.2 percent to 9.5 percent.

The local data was released this morning by the Virginia Employment Commission.

Vicente Fox

Must be because of all those illegal aliens stealing our jobs. Oh, wait…
- ArlRes
  
  Once Arlington makes those illegals citizens and they are included in the stats, the numbers will go up.
  
  Of course I’m joking — Arlington can’t do that, but I bet if they included illegals in the labor force the number for Arlington would be much higher.
el fat kid

i blame socialism…
Thes

Continued full employment, stable real estate prices, high public school testing results, lower real estate taxes than our neighbors… sounds like someone is doing something right.
- el fat kid
  
  Thes,
  
  I get it. you work for the county and spend a lot of time in front of the mirror.
  
  However, despite 4.1% unemployment blah blah blah – the county is running a deficit.
  
  You brag about test scores but half the parents in this county have an advanced degree, their kids are going to do well regardless and you don’t need to spend $100,000,000 per high school to teach a kid how to read and write. The school system is merely satisfactory in terms of what it accomplishes given the huge amount of money it spends and the level of parent involvement.
  
  The county government has very little influence on unemployment numbers… I know that must be a painful realization but you guys really don’t do shit to on a macro level. sure you might train a few previously ‘unemployable’ people some basic skills and help them get a job making copies but that’s statistically insignificant in terms of the overall employment levels. sorry.
RestonRunner86

The reason why Arlington County’s unemployment rate is so low is that it is also extremely well-educated. People with degrees have been able to better weather this recession, which has hit blue-collar and non-college-educated workers more fiercely. Couple this with proximity to not only in-county employers but also to DC, Bethesda, and the Dulles Tech Corridor, and you have a recipe for economic vitality.
- Ali
  
  Not entirely true. I’m in the boat with a lot of other people who have found zero professional job opportunities upon receiving degrees in the past year or two. We can’t apply for unemployment so we’re not counted. Most of us are working retail and bartending to make ends meet.
  - ArlRes
    
    Did you either a) move to Arlington after graduating or b) live in Arlington as a student?
    
    I think the situation is different for those who move here before having a job.
    - Ali
      
      I moved here after college, worked and then went back to school.
  - Jack
    
    you’re lucky to have that… in a lot of the country people can’t get any job – not even walmart or waiting tables.
Jay F.

We can’t apply for unemployment so we’re not counted. Most of us are working retail and bartending to make ends meet.

If you’re working, then you shouldn’t be getting unemployment. THAT’s why you’re not counted.
- Ali
  
  No, I’m not working. I haven’t even been able to get a retail job. Some friends have gotten work but most of us haven’t.
Matt W.

Real Estate taxes might be at low rates but the cost of living here is so high that wage earners have to leave to find affordable housing if they have a disruption in their employment. County Board Member Mary Hynes said so at the meeting last night I agree with her.
Unemployment is so low because the cost of living is so high.

Other County Board Actions Last Night EXCLUSIVE: College Pro Painters Fined Following Electrical Accident

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