The July 2011 unemployment rate for Patrick County, VA went to 8.7%. It was 8.6% in June 2011. As reported by the Virginia Employment Commission

See the Martinsville Bulletin, Thursday, September 1, 2011 Martinsville, VA was 17.4% for July 2011, compared to 17.0% in June, 2011 In Henry County, the July unemployment rate was 10.8 percent, eighth highest in the state and up from 10.7 percent the month before. There were 2,588 jobless county residents in July, down from 2,605 in June. In Patrick County, the July unemployment rate was 8.7 percent, up from 8.6 percent in June. The VEC showed 828 jobless Patrick residents, up from 825 the month before. Patrick’s labor force was down, from 9,612 in June to 9,472 in July. Unlike Henry County and Martinsville, Patrick has seen its labor force grow in the past year. In July 2010, the number stood at 9,243, the VEC showed. The statewide unemployment rate in July was 6.2 percent, lower than the national rate of 9.3 percent, the VEC reported. Arlington County had the state’s lowest unemployment rate at 3.7 percent.