Virginia's unemployment rate fell slightly in January and remains below the national average.
The Virginia Employment Commission said Thursday that the state's adjusted unemployment rate in January was 6.5 percent. That's slightly lower than December and January 2010.
The state's unemployment rate has been trending down since the rate of 7.3 percent last March.
More than 77,255 Virginians were receiving regular unemployment benefits in January, up about 17,085 from December and down more than 23,125 from January 2010.
Nationwide, the unemployment rate fell sharply to 9 percent. The Labor Department says unemployment rates fell or held steady in 40 states in January, the latest sign that hiring is strengthening throughout the country.
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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