Martinsville’s unemployment rate remained highest in Virginia in January

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Martinsville’s unemployment rate remained highest in Virginia in January

By Associated Press, Tuesday, March 22, 2:10 AM

RICHMOND, Va. — The city of Martinsville’s jobless rate remained the highest in Virginia in January.

The Virginia Employment Commission says the city’s seasonally unadjusted unemployment rate was 19.9 percent, up from 18.3 percent in December but lower than 21.8 percent for the same month last year. That compares with the statewide average rate of 6.9 percent for the month.

Martinsville is in Virginia's 5th congressional district, which used to be represented by Tom Perriello. There used to be a lot of furniture manufacturing down that way, but over the last two decades, that has pretty much disappeared.