Workforce

Workforce Investment Area

The Newport News Workforce Investment Area, as defined by the Virginia Employment Commission, is the Virginia Peninsula. Newport News is the largest city on the Virginia Peninsula and is its employment center. A civilian labor force of more than 250,000 workers reside in the Labor Market Area:

• The City of Newport News
• The City of Hampton
• The City of Williamsburg
• The City of Poquoson
• Gloucester County
• Isle of Wight County
• James City County
• Matthews County
• York County

A larger Total Drawing Area encompasses the entire Norfolk-Virginia Beach-Newport News MSA. A diversified labor force of over 800,000 lies within a 45–minute commute of most of the industrial and business sites in Newport News.

General Labor Force Data,

Newport News
Labor Force Area*
Hampton Roads
MSA**
Civilian Labor Force
89,571
592,598
– Employed
86,599
595,583
– Unemployed
2,972
17,015
– Unemployment Rate
3.3%
2.9%
Source: Virginia Employment Commission -12-31-2018
*Includes Newport News, Poquoson, Williamsburg, York, James City County, and Hampton
**Virginia Beach–Norfolk–Newport News, VA–NC MSA, VA Part

 

Civilian Covered Employment Trends – Annual Percentage

2018
NEWPORT NEWS
2.2%
Virginia
1.7%
U.S.
2.1%
Source: Virginia Employment Commission

 

LABOR FORCE PROFILE
Demographically, the working population of the Newport News/Hampton Roads labor market is typical in such areas as educational attainment and female participation in the labor force. The strong military presence, the international influence that springs from the ports, and the overall attractiveness of the area all contribute to the sophisticated metropolitan climate and labor pool.