Skip to Main Content
Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond

District of Columbia

aerial view of Washington, D.C.

Payroll employment in the District of Columbia declined by 100 jobs (0.0 percent) in February. The unemployment rate declined 0.2 percentage point to 6.5 percent.

Download Full PDF

Labor market icon showing three people Labor Market Conditions

  • "Reports on District of Columbia's labor market were mixed in February as total payroll employment declined slightly while the unemployment rate edged down." – Joseph Mengedoth
  • Total payroll employment in the District of Columbia declined by 100 jobs (0.0 percent) in February, on net. The most jobs were lost in the month in government (500 jobs), information (300 jobs) and construction (200 jobs). On the positive side, 500 jobs were added in the other services industry and 400 jobs were added in professional and business services.
  • On a year-over-year basis, payroll employment in the District of Columbia declined by 42,200 jobs (5.5 percent), on net. Compared to last year, the most jobs were lost in government (26,200 jobs) and professional and business services (7,300 jobs).
  • The unemployment rate in the District of Columbia declined 0.2 percentage point to 6.5 percent in February and the labor force contracted 0.3 percent.

Housing Market icon showing a picture of a house Housing Market Conditions

  • D.C. issued 30 new residential permits in December 2025, down from the 164 issued in November 2025. This is lower than the 299 permits issued in December 2024.
  • According to the Federal Housing Finance Agency, home values appreciated 0.8 percent from Q3 of 2025 to Q4 of 2025. Additionally, home values increased 3.0 percent from Q4 of 2024 to Q4 of 2025.
Snapshot Resources
  • Term Definitions

    Payroll Employment
    The number of nonfarm jobs (persons on payrolls) according to where those jobs are located.

    Unemployment Rate
    The number of unemployed persons (those not employed but available and searching for work) as a percent of the civilian labor force (the total number of employed plus unemployed persons).

    Industry Structure
    A breakdown of total nonfarm jobs by industry. Percentages sum to 100 percent.

    Industry Growth
    The percentage change in jobs in each industry from a year ago.

    Building Permits
    The number of privately owned single-family and multi-family units authorized in permit-issuing places.

    House Price Index
    A repeat sales index, measuring average price changes in repeat sales or refinancings on the same single-family properties.

Subscribe to Economic Data

Receive an email notification when regional surveys and reports are posted online:

Subscribe to Economic Data

By submitting this form you agree to the Bank's Terms & Conditions and Privacy Notice.

Contact Icon Contact Us
Joseph Mengedoth