Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, District of Columbia Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Washington fell 0.1 percentage points in February 2018 to 3.5%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 2.2 percentage points lower than the District of Columbia rate. The unemployment rate in Washington peaked in February 2010 at 6.7% and is now 3.2 percentage points lower. You can also compare Washington unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate	February 2018	Month/Month	Year/Year
National	4.1%	0.0	-0.6
District of Columbia	5.7%	-0.1	-0.4
Washington	3.5%	-0.1	-0.2

Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.¹ All comparisons are made with February 2018 data as March metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Washington, District of Columbia, National

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Washington, District of Columbia Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Washington peaked in March 2010 at 208,412. There are now 90,082 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. Washington employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Washington, District of Columbia) is also available.

Unemployed Persons	February 2018	Month/Month	Year/Year
Washington	118,330	-2,917	-6,344

Number of Unemployed Persons

Washington, District of Columbia Unemployment History

Date	National Unemployment Rate	District of Columbia Unemployment Rate	Washington Unemployment Rate	Washington Unemployed
March 2018	4.1%	—	—	—
February 2018	4.1%	5.7%	3.5%	118,330
January 2018	4.1%	5.8%	3.6%	121,247
December 2017	4.1%	5.9%	3.6%	121,628
November 2017	4.1%	5.9%	3.8%	127,946
October 2017	4.1%	5.9%	3.7%	125,979
September 2017	4.2%	6.0%	3.6%	123,023
August 2017	4.4%	6.1%	3.7%	124,505
July 2017	4.3%	6.2%	3.7%	125,849
June 2017	4.3%	6.2%	3.6%	122,887
May 2017	4.3%	6.2%	3.7%	124,922
April 2017	4.4%	6.2%	3.7%	125,208