District of Columbia Job Growth

There were 740,500 jobs in District of Columbia in May 2021 according to the CES survey of employers. The CPS survey of households showed 376,085 employed persons for the month. District of Columbia added 2,900 jobs in May 2021 according to the CES survey while the broader CPS employment measure rose by 418 (Comparing CES and CPS employment numbers.). Also available is District of Columbia job growth compared to other states.

District of Columbia Employment Changes

The charts below shows the monthly job growth for District of Columbia as measured by the CES and CPS surveys. To illustrate the trend, the 3 month moving average change in employment is shown in green.

CES Employment Change: 1 Month, Rolling 3 Month

CPS Employment Change: 1 Month, Rolling 3 Month

Total Employment in District of Columbia

CES employment peaked in January 2020 for District of Columbia at 804,700. Since then 64,200 jobs have been lost in District of Columbia according to the employer survey. From a trough of 718,200 in May 2020, District of Columbia has gained 22,300 jobs according to CES employment figures.

CPS employment in District of Columbia reached a maximum of 399,827 in January 2020. 23,742 jobs have been lost in District of Columbia since then according to the household survey. From a April 2020 low of 361,647, District of Columbia has added 14,438 jobs according to the CPS survey.

Employment: CES, CPS

District of Columbia Employment History