Home Unemployment down in May in Augusta County, Staunton, Waynesboro as economy reopens
Politics, Virginia

Unemployment down in May in Augusta County, Staunton, Waynesboro as economy reopens

Chris Graham
covid-19 economy
(© Alexander Borisenko – stock.adobe.com)

The Augusta County-Staunton-Waynesboro region continues to recover from the economic pandemic, with unemployment in the region dropping more than a point and a half in May.

The regional unemployment rate was at 7.8 percent in May, according to figures from the Virginia Employment Commission, down from the 9.4 percent rate in April, at the depths of Gov. Ralph Northam’s shutdown.

For comparison to 2019: the unemployment rate a year ago was at 2.5 percent.

That figure was based on 1,520 people being unemployed in the region.

The number unemployed in May 2020 was at 4,809.

The unemployment rate in the two cities: Waynesboro was at 9.4 percent in May, and Staunton at 9.6 percent, down from the 11.1 percent rate in both in April.

Augusta County reported a 6.7 percent unemployment rate in May, down from 8.3 percent in April.

Story by Chris Graham

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Chris Graham

Chris Graham

Chris Graham is the founder and editor of Augusta Free Press. A 1994 alum of the University of Virginia, Chris is the author and co-author of seven books, including Poverty of Imagination, a memoir published in 2019. For his commentaries on news, sports and politics, go to his YouTube page, TikTok, BlueSky, or subscribe to Substack or his Street Knowledge podcast. Email Chris at [email protected].

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