The Virginia Employment Commission has released a report detailing employment statistics across the Commonwealth. Experts say that the job market has a direct impact on the housing market -- good jobs allow homeowners to pay the mortgage and stay in their homes. Poor job markets can lead to declining property values.

Virginia’s unemployment rate was 7.7% in February, lower than the national rate of 10.4%.

Read more in local news outlets....

• Jobless rate slips in city (Martinsville Bulletin)
• Danville-area unemployment worse than a year ago (The Danville Register & Bee)
• Jobless rate climbs to 9.3 percent for area in February (Northern Virginia Daily)