Report: Prince William number one in Virginia job growth

Prince William County was named number one in job growth in Virginia, according to a newly-released U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics study.

The findings, released on Monday, said Prince William netted the highest registered employment increases from March 2010 to March 2011, resulting in a 4.3 percent overall upturn with 108,300 people employed this March.

The report named Prince William among the 12 largest counties and independent cities in Virginia—those with employment of 75,000 or more as indicated by 2010 annual average employment figures.

The good news for the county didn’t stop there.

Prince William was also placed on the top ten national list of the fastest over-the-year job growth, placing third among the 322 largest counties in the country, according to Sheila Watkins, the labor statistics bureau’s regional commissioner.

Prince William officials praised the findings and sourced it to having what they said to be the lowest taxes in the region.

“This is further evidence that our effort to create an environment that allows businesses to open and operate without the bureaucratic red tape is moving us in the right direction for job growth,” said Corey Stewart, chairman of the Prince William Board of County Supervisors, in a news release.

Prince William County communications director Jason Grant sourced the growth to the county’s “strategic location” near Washington, D.C., as well as the strength of the Northern Virginia labor market.

Nearby counties also saw surges in jobs—Loudoun County was number two on the Virginia list, with a 4.2 percent increase, while Arlington County was third at 3.6 percent, the bureau said.

Only the City of Virginia Beach lost jobs among Virginia’s largest counties and cities—with a drop of 0.7 percent.

Nationally, employment rose 1.3 percent during the same time period, the report stated.

Elkhart County, Ind. was number one in job growth with 6.2 percent, and Sacramento, Calif. netted the most loss, at 1.6 percent, the bureau said.

There was also good news in the report on the wage front.

According to the findings, 11 of the 12 largest counties in Virginia reported average wage increases during the first quarter of 2011.

Arlington County saw the highest amount, with a $1,549 average weekly paycheck, the study said. 

But Prince William and Manassas Park were below the $935 national average, at $808 and $770, respectively.

Manassas was above the national average, with $1,042 per paycheck in the first quarter, the report said.

The job growth could also be seen in recent unemployment figures.

Prince William had a .2-point drop in non-seasonally-adjusted unemployment, from 5.6 to 5.4 percent, between Aug. 2010 and Aug. 2011, based on preliminary data from the bureau.

Manassas saw a .5 dip in unemployment, from 7.4 to 6.9 percent, and Manassas Park had a .3 drop, going from 5.8 percent in 2010 to 5.5 in 2011, the bureau said.

Nationally, the unemployment rate was 9.1 percent in Sept. 2011.

Staff writer David Pierce can be reached at 703-530-3905.