Department of Numbers

Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, District of Columbia Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Washington fell 0.1 percentage points in January 2023 to 3.2%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 1.2 percentage points lower than the District of Columbia rate. The unemployment rate in Washington peaked in April 2020 at 10.0% and is now 6.8 percentage points lower. You can also compare Washington unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate January 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
National 3.4% -0.1 -0.6
District of Columbia 4.4% +0.2 -1.6
Washington 3.2% -0.1 -0.9
Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.1 All comparisons are made with January 2023 data as February metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Washington, District of Columbia, National

Washington, District of Columbia monthly unemployment rate chart

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Washington, District of Columbia Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Washington peaked in April 2020 at 341,974. There are now 234,476 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 January 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
Washington 107,498 -3,327 -29,976

Number of Unemployed Persons

Washington, District of Columbia Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate
District of Columbia
Unemployment Rate
Washington
Unemployment Rate
Washington
Unemployed
February
2023
3.6%
January
2023
3.4% 4.4% 3.2% 107,498
December
2022
3.5% 4.2% 3.3% 110,825
November
2022
3.6% 4.2% 3.3% 112,723
October
2022
3.7% 4.2% 3.4% 113,390
September
2022
3.5% 4.1% 3.4% 113,408
August
2022
3.7% 3.9% 3.4% 115,624
July
2022
3.5% 4.1% 3.4% 115,160
June
2022
3.6% 4.4% 3.5% 117,253
May
2022
3.6% 4.6% 3.5% 118,645
April
2022
3.6% 4.9% 3.6% 121,729
March
2022
3.6% 5.2% 3.7% 126,723

1. Metro area unemployment rates are now seasonally adjusted. The BLS has started publishing smoothed seasonally adjusted metropolitan area data which makes comparisons to state and national data more relevant than the unadjusted numbers.