Washington, DC, Overview

Including the nearby areas of Arlington, Virginia, and Alexandria, Virginia, the Washington, DC, labor force numbers about 3 million. The recession had only a minor impact on Washington, DC, employment and real estate due to the area’s strong reliance on the government sector. However, recent government budget cuts have dampened the postrecession Washington, DC, job market.

Washington, DC, Job Opportunities

As the seat of our nation’s government, it’s no surprise that government jobs dominate work in Washington, DC. Professional/business services is another critical hiring sector, primarily due to the strong concentration of government contractors in the area. The smaller sectors of trade, transportation and utilities; manufacturing; and information were the only ones to constrict employment during 2011.

Washington, DC, Employment Trends

Due to the area’s concentration of government jobs, employment in Washington, DC, has remained relatively strong and is trending upward as the national economy recovers. As an indicator of this strong position, the region’s unemployment rate peaked at 7 percent in January 2010 and had fallen to 5.1 percent by April 2012. The pool of employed Washington, DC, workers expanded each month of 2011 and looks to be positive through the next year.

Between Q2 2012 and Q2 2013, Washington, DC, jobs will grow 0.6 percent, less than the 1.3 percent gain expected in the country’s job supply, according to a Moody’s Analytics forecast.