Economic Trends

The ACCRA Cost of Living Index measures relative price levels for consumer goods and services in participating areas. The average for all participating places, both metropolitan and non metropolitan equals 100, and each participant's index is read as a percentage of the average for all places. The index does not measure inflation and data from different quarters cannot be compared because participants change quarterly. The ACCRA Cost of Living Index is based on nearly 100,000 data points gathered primarily by ACCRA members located in 400 cities.

ACCRA Cost of Living Index - 1st Quarter 2010

Metro/Micro Urban Area and State	100% Composite Index	13% Grocery Items	29% Housing	10% Utilities	9% Transportation	4% Health Care	35% Misc. Goods and Services
Harrisonburg VA Metro Harrisonburg VA	98.1	96.0	96.5	101.2	93.6	99.8	101.0
Charlottesville VA Metro	107.5	105.6	119.5	106.4	91.5	95.4	105.2
Richmond VA Metro Richmond VA	106.0	106.9	102.2	116.2	102.4	115.0	106.0
Washington-Arlington- Alexandria DC-VA-MD-WV Metro Prince William VA	137.9	109.5	219.1	98.9	109.2	103.4	103.3

ACCRA Cost of Living Comparison - 3rd Quarter 2009

Metro/Micro Urban Area and State	100% Composite Index	13% Grocery Items	29% Housing	10% Utilities	9% Transportation	4% Health Care	35% Misc. Goods and Services
Harrisonburg VA Metro Harrisonburg VA	99.2	95.3	102.1	93.5	91.2	100.2	102.3
Staunton-Waynesboro Micro Staunton-Augusta Co. VA	94.9	93.4	94.4	94.1	94.0	96.2	96.2
NonMetro  Lexington - Buena Vista - Rockbridge	94.1	90.8	98.6	89.0	94.7	90.7	93.2
Roanoke VA Metro	95.8	92.7	94.9	97.7	92.1	95.7	98.5
Richmond VA Metro Richmond VA	106.6	107.0	104.0	107.2	102.0	111.5	109.5
Washington-Arlington- Alexandria DC-VA-MD-WV Metro Prince William VA	138.5	115.1	218.9	101.9	107.1	103.2	102.5

 

Monthly Not Seasonally Adjusted Labor Force, Employment and Unemployment Data in Multiple County/City for November 2009

Area Name	Civilian Labor Force	Employment	Unemployment	Unemployment Rate (%)
Augusta County	37,726	35,414	2,312	6.1
Highland County	1,132	1,062	70	6.2
Page County	11,685	10,345	1,340	11.5
Rockbridge County	11,337	10,644	693	6.1
Rockingham County	42,387	40,133	2,254	5.3
Shenandoah County	19,923	18,290	1,633	8.2
Buena Vista City	3,493	3,175	318	9.1
Harrisonburg City	23,274	21,901	1,373	5.9
Lexington City	2,391	2,202	189	7.9
Waynesboro City	10,305	9,529	776	7.5

 

Population Estimates for Virginia, Localities, Planning Districts, & Metropolitan Areas: Final 2008 & Provisional 2009

Jurisdiction	Provisional 2009	Final 2008	April 1, 2000 Census	Change (Numeric)	Due to Natural Increase (Numeric)	Due to Net Migration (Numeric)	Change (Percent)	Due to Natural Increase (Percent)	Due to Migration (Percent)
Virginia	7,882,590	7,795,424	7,079,030	803,560	15,769	787,791	11.4%	6.0%	5.3%
Rockingham County	75,962	74,922	67,714	8,248	2,576	5,672	12.2	3.8	8.4
Harrisonburg City	46,896	45,616	40,453	6,443	2,355	4,088	15.9	5.8	10.1
Total	122,858	120,538	108,167	14,691	4,931	9,760	13.6	4.6	9.0
Albemarle County	95,247	94,227	84,186	11,061	3,810	7,251	13.1	4.5	8.6
Charlottesville County	40,317	39,833	40,099	218	2,052	-1,834	0.5	5.1	-4.6
Augusta County	72,114	71,559	65,615	6,499	1,572	4,927	9.9	2.4	7.5
Staunton City	23,473	23,246	23,853	-380	-327	-52	-1.6	-1.4	-0.2
Waynesboro City	20,712	20,473	19,520	1,192	660	532	6.1	3.4	2.7
Page County	24,175	24,046	23,177	998	169	829	4.3	0.7	3.6
Shenandoah County	41,535	41,281	35,075	6,460	545	5,915	18.4	1.6	16.9

Additional Resources: 

• Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission's Regional Data Center 
  The Regional Data Center is a valuable tool for learning more about the region and its local demographic and economic data.
  
  
• Shenandoah Valley Partnership - The Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission and the Shenandoah Valley Partnership jointly fund and conduct the data survey for the ACCRA Cost of Living Index.
  
  
• Weldon Cooper Center for Public Services, Demographics & Workforce Group