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District of Columbia

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Payroll employment in the District of Columbia increased by 400 jobs (0.1 percent) in April. The unemployment rate was unchanged at 5.2 percent.

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Labor market icon showing three people Labor Market Conditions

  • "The District of Columbia saw a modest improvement in the labor market in April. Payroll employment increased slightly, the unemployment rate was unchanged, and the labor force grew modestly." — Joseph Mengedoth
  • Payroll employment in the District of Columbia increased by 400 jobs (0.1 percent), on net, in April. The net job gain was largely the result of a 1,500 job gain in the professional and business services industry, which was partially offset by smaller job losses in several other industries. The only other industry to expand in the month was education and health services (100 jobs).
  • On a year-over-year basis, payroll employment in the District of Columbia increased by 1,800 jobs (0.2 percent), on net. The most jobs were added over the year in government (1,900 jobs), education and health services (900 jobs) and leisure and hospitality (600 jobs). The only industries to lose jobs since last April were professional and business services (1,300 jobs) and construction (500 jobs).
  • The unemployment rate in the District of Columbia was unchanged at 5.2 percent in April, but the labor force grew 0.4 percent in the month.

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

  • D.C. issued 83 new residential permits in February, up from the 21 issued in January and down from the 299 permits issued in February 2023.
  • According to the Federal Housing Finance Agency, home values in D.C. depreciated 2.2 percent from the fourth quarter of 2022 to the fourth quarter of 2023.
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.

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