(Washington, DC) Today, the Department of Employment Services (DOES) announced that the District of Columbia's seasonally adjusted November 2004 unemployment rate rose by 0.3 percent to 8.8 percent. The October 2004 rate was 8.5 percent. The November 2004 rate increased over the year by 1.8 percent.
"The number of unemployed District residents continued to increase in November even as the District's job growth remained strong, which has been a trend in the District for the past three months," stated DOES Director Gregg Irish. In November, there were 900 more unemployed residents and 500 fewer employed residents, which resulted in a 300 increase in the seasonally adjusted labor force," said Director Irish.
The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for November 2004 was 8.7 percent; 0.3 percent higher than the 8.4 percent rate in October 2004 and 1.8 percent higher than the rate in November 2003.
District of Columbia Civilian Labor Force, Employment, Unemployment and Unemployment Rate
Over the month, the District's civilian labor force decreased by 600 to 305,200. A total of 278,700 residents were employed and 26,500 were unemployed in November 2004. A 1,400 decrease in the number of employed residents coupled with an 800 increase in the number of unemployed residents resulted in the not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rising by 0.3 percent to 8.7 percent.
The District's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for November was 8.8 percent; three-tenths of a percent higher than the rate in October 2004 and 1.8 percent higher than the November 2003 rate.
The District's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for November was 8.8 percent; three-tenths of a percent higher than the rate in October 2004 and 1.8 percent higher than the November 2003 rate.
The November 2004 national unemployment rate of 5.2 percent (not seasonally adjusted) was one-tenth of a percent higher than the October 2004 rate and four-tenths of a percent lower than the November 2003 rate.
The seasonally adjusted national unemployment rate in November 2004 was 5.4 percent, 0.1 percent lower than the October 2004 rate and 0.5 percent lower than the November 2003, seasonally adjusted, national unemployment rate.
From November 2003 to November 2004, the District's civilian labor force increased by 4,400 as the number of employed residents decreased by 1,400 and the number of unemployed residents increased by 5,600. The District's November 2004 unemployment rate was 1.8 percent higher than the 6.9 percent rate in November 2003.
District Job Growth
The number of District wage and salary jobs increased by 1,400 in November 2004. The private sector increased by 400 jobs and the public sector registered a 1,000-job gain. In the private sector, trade, transportation and utilities gained 400 jobs, financial activities and professional and business services each increased by 200 jobs, and educational and health services gained 100 jobs. Natural resources and construction and other services each declined by 200 jobs while information lost 100 jobs. Manufacturing and leisure and hospitality were unchanged over the month. In the public sector, the District government gained 1,100 while the federal government lost 100 jobs and transportation remained unchanged.
In the last 12 months, the District gained a total of 8,000 jobs. The private sector increased by 6,000 jobs and the public sector added 2,000 jobs. The private sector job growth occurred in professional and business services (up by 4,700 jobs), leisure and hospitality (up by 1,200 jobs), trade, transportation and utilities (up by 400 jobs) and educational and health services (up by 100 jobs). Natural resources and construction lost 200 jobs and manufacturing and financial activities each declined by 100 jobs. The remaining private sector industries were unchanged over the year. In the public sector, the federal government gained 1,100 jobs and the District government gained 1,000 jobs while transportation lost 100 jobs.
Washington Metropolitan Area Civilian Labor Force, Employment, and Unemployment Rate
The civilian labor force in the suburban ring of communities surrounding the District of Columbia decreased by 6,700 in November 2004 as employment fell by 5,400 and the number unemployed decreased by 1,200. The unemployment rate in the suburban ring, at 2.5 percent in November, was unchanged from the revised October 2004 rate.
Over the last 12 months, the number of employed residents in the suburban ring rose by 73,500. With 8,300 fewer unemployed suburban residents, the suburban civilian labor force rose by 65,200. The suburban ring's November 2004 unemployment rate of 2.5 percent was three-tenths of a percent lower than the 2.8 percent rate in November 2003.
For the Washington Metropolitan Area, the civilian labor force decreased by 7,300 in November 2004. The number of employed residents in the metropolitan area fell by 6,800, and the number of unemployed residents decreased by 400. The metropolitan area's unemployment rate at 3.1 percent in November 2004 was unchanged from the October 2004 rate.
Compared to November 2003, the Metropolitan Area's civilian labor force rose by 69,600. Employment increased by 72,300, with 2,700 fewer unemployed. The Washington Metropolitan Area's November 2004 unemployment rate was two-tenths of a percent lower than the November 2003 rate of 3.3 percent.
Washington Metropolitan Area Job Growth
Total wage and salary employment in the Washington Metropolitan Area increased over the month in November 2004 by 6,100. The private sector increased by 4,600 and the public sector added 1,500 jobs over the month. Private sector gains were in trade, transportation, and utilities (up by 5,300 jobs), financial activities (up by 1,200 jobs), and educational and health services (up by 1,100 jobs). Losses were registered in natural resources, mining and construction (down by 1,000 jobs), professional and business services (down by 800 jobs), other services (down by 800 jobs), information (down by 300 jobs), and leisure and hospitality (down by 100 jobs). Manufacturing was unchanged. In the public sector, local government employment increased by 1,400 jobs and state government gained 400 jobs while the federal government shed 300 jobs.
During the past twelve months, the Washington Metropolitan Area gained 70,400 jobs. The private sector gained 67,100 jobs and the public sector added 3,300 jobs. Private sector gains were registered in professional and business services (up by 26,300 jobs), trade, transportation, and utilities (up by 16,500 jobs), natural resources, mining and construction (up by 9,500 jobs), leisure and hospitality (up by 6,800 jobs), other services (up by 4,200 jobs), financial activities (up by 3,600 jobs), educational and health services (up by 900 jobs), and information (up by 200 jobs). Manufacturing lost 900 jobs. In government, the state governments gained 4,000 jobs and the federal government gained 900 jobs while the local governments lost 1,600 jobs.