Employment increased in 4 of the 9 largest counties with published data in Virginia from September 2024 to September 2025, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Regional Commissioner Alexandra Hall Bovee noted that Loudoun County had the largest over-the-year increase in employment, with a gain of 2.9 percent. (See chart 1 and table 1.)

  

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Chart 1. Over-the-year percent change in covered employment among the largest counties in Virginia, September 2025

County	Percent change, September 2025
Loudoun	2.9
Richmond City	1.2
Prince William	0.7
Norfolk City	0.2
Virginia Beach City	0.0
Alexandria City	-0.2
Fairfax	-1.1
Newport News City	-1.5
Arlington	-2.9

Among the 12 largest counties in Virginia, employment was highest in Fairfax (629,600) in September 2025. Together, the 12 largest counties accounted for 55.0 percent of total covered employment within the state. Nationwide, the 372 largest counties comprise 73.2 percent of total covered employment in the United States. (Large counties and county equivalents are those with annual average employment levels of 75,000 or more in 2024.)

All nine large Virginia counties with published data reported average weekly wage increases over the year. (See chart 2.) Arlington had the largest increase (+8.3 percent). Over-the-year wage changes for Virginia's other eight large counties ranged from 7.9 percent to 1.5 percent.

  

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Chart 2. Over-the-year percent change in covered average weekly wages among the largest counties in Virginia, third quarter 2025

County	Percent change, third quarter 2025
Arlington	8.3
Newport News City	7.9
Loudoun	4.9
Fairfax	4.5
Virginia Beach City	3.9
Richmond City	3.5
Norfolk City	3.2
Prince William	1.7
Alexandria City	1.5

Weekly wages in 5 of the 12 largest counties in Virginia were above the national average of $1,459. Average weekly wages ranged from $2,446 in Arlington to $1,139 in Chesapeake City.

Employment and wage levels (but not over-the-year changes) are also available for the 121 small counties in Virginia, defined as having employment below 75,000 in 2024. (See table 2.) Wage levels in 116 of the 121 smaller counties were below the national average. Goochland reported the highest average weekly wage ($2,183). Galax City reported the lowest average weekly wage ($791) in the state.

Among all 133 Virginia counties, 31 reported average weekly wages of less than $950, 40 had wages from $950 to $1,074, 28 had wages from $1,075 to $1,199, and 34 had average weekly wages of $1,200 or higher. (See map 1 and table 2.)