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Community Profile > Local Economy Highlights
Local Economy Highlights
Employment Center
As of May 2013, the number of jobs in the City of Williamsburg was 14,134. The City continues to be a regional employment center, with over 12,000 in-commuters.
Workforce
As of 2011, The Williamsburg area (City of Williamsburg, James City County, and York County) civilian labor force was 68,878 and the unemployment rate was 6.5%. Due to Williamsburg's close proximity to major metropolitan areas in Hampton Roads and Richmond, a workforce of 1.3 million are within commuting distance of the City, and residents share a wide variety of occupational and career choices.
In the City of Williamsburg, over 95% of the population 18 years and older hold a high school dipolma or GED. Moreover, 30% hold a Bachelor's, Graduate, or Professional degree, which is greater than the national average of 26%.
Tourism and Education
The City of Williamsburg’s economy is largely supported by tourism and education, with two world class institutions, the College of William and Mary and the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, at the core. The majority of the 700 business establishments within the City either fall into the retail trade or accommodation / food services category. In 2003, the Virginia Tourism Corporation reported that 8.8 million visitors experience Williamsburg annually and that the Williamsburg Area was home to five of the top ten attractions most-visited by Virginia travelers, including the number one attraction, the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. The world renowned College of Wiliam and Mary calls Williamsburg home, educating 7,500 students who provide creativity, energy, and intelligence to our vibrant City.
Shopping, Dining, and Cultural Center
Per capita annual retail sales in the City are the highest in Virginia, at $31,534 in 2008.
Sources: Weldon Cooper Center, Virginia Electronic Labor Market Access, Virginia Department of Taxation, and the Virginia Employment Commission