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Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond

District of Columbia

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Payroll employment in the District of Columbia increased by 1,700 jobs (0.2 percent) in July. The unemployment rate edged down 0.1 percentage point to 5.9 percent.

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Labor market icon showing three people Labor Market Conditions

  • "The District of Columbia's labor market improved somewhat in July as total payroll employment increased and the unemployment rate declined slightly." – Joseph Mengedoth
  • Total payroll employment in the District of Columbia increased by 1,700 jobs (0.2 percent) in July, on net. The most jobs were added over the month in leisure and hospitality (1,500 jobs) and government (300 jobs). The remaining industries were little changed in the month.
  • On a year-over-year basis, total payroll employment in the District of Columbia declined by 31,500 jobs (4.2 percent), on net. The vast majority of lob losses have come from the government sector, which is down 26,400 jobs from last year.
  • The unemployment rate in the District of Columbia edged down 0.1 percentage point to 5.9 percent in July.

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

  • D.C. issued 36 new residential permits in July 2026, down from the 639 issued in June 2026. This is lower than the 82 permits issued in July 2025.
  • According to the Federal Housing Finance Agency, home values depreciated 1.5 percent from Q1 of 2026 to Q2 of 2026. Additionally, home values decreased 0.6 percent from Q2 of 2025 to Q2 of 2026.
Snapshot Resources

  • 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.

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Joseph Mengedoth