ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, February 27, 1997 TAG: 9702270048
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: B-5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JEFF STURGEON
The Roanoke region ranked sixth of the state's eight metro areas in job growth in 1996, the Virginia Employment Commission reported Wednesday.
The ranking showed Roanoke trailing all the large metros as well as Charlottesville and Danville, which are smaller. Roanoke's job growth also fell below the state average for the year, the VEC said.
The metro area - Roanoke, Salem, Roanoke County and Botetourt County - showed a work force gain of 0.5 percent, equal to 700 jobs, between December 1995 and December 1996.
The growth was in the service, construction, government and finance employment sectors. The metro's losses were in manufacturing and transportation jobs.
The unemployment rate was 2.5 percent in December and, for the year, averaged 2.8 percent, according to a preliminary estimate.
There was some evidence that predictions of moderate economic growth nationally will hold true for the Roanoke area. At least 10 companies have said they intend to hire a combined 500 employees this year in the Roanoke Valley, the result of a string of expansion announcements in 1996.
LENGTH: Short : 32 lines ILLUSTRATION: GRAPHIC: Chart by staff: Employment in Virginia Metro areas. KEYWORDS: MGRby CNB