District's Labor Data Shows 12 Month Increase in Jobs and the Unemployment Rate - Releases

(Washington, DC) The District of Columbia's September unemployment rate (not seasonally adjusted) increased over the month by 0.2 percent to 7.8 percent, while the September 2004 rate was 1.1 percent higher than in September 2003. Although jobs decreased by 3,600 from August to September 2004, in the last 12 months the District gained a total of 7,600 jobs.

“The District is an anomaly,” said Director Gregg Irish. “Although we seem to be outpacing the national economy in job growth, our unemployment rate for District residents remains high. For example, the September rate increase resulted from both a decrease in the number of employed District residents and an increase in the number of unemployed residents as temporary job completers either withdrew from the local labor market or joined the ranks of the unemployed. We are looking and searching for ways to address this disparity and to help city residents benefit from local job growth,” said Director Irish.

District of Columbia Civilian Labor Force, Employment, Unemployment and Unemployment Rate

Over the month, the District’s civilian labor force decreased by 1,400 to 303,100. A total of 279,500 residents were employed and 23,600 were unemployed in September 2004. A 1,800 decrease in the number of employed residents coupled with a 300 increase in the number of unemployed residents resulted in the not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rising by 0.2 percent to 7.8 percent.

The District’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for September was 7.9 percent; 0.4 percent higher than the rate in August 2004 and 1.1 percent higher than the September 2003 rate.

The September 2004 national unemployment rate of 5.1 percent (not seasonally adjusted) was 0.3 percent lower than the August 2004 unemployment rate and 0.7 percent lower than the September 2003 rate.

The seasonally adjusted national unemployment rate in September 2004 was 5.4 percent; unchanged from August 2004 and 0.7 percent lower than the September 2003, seasonally adjusted, national unemployment rate.

From September 2003 to September 2004, the District’s civilian labor force increased by 2,300 as the number of employed residents decreased by 1,200 and the number of unemployed residents increased by 3,600. The District’s September 2004 unemployment rate was 1.1 percent higher than the 6.7 percent rate in September 2003.

District Job Growth

The number of District wage and salary jobs decreased by 3,600 in September 2004. The private sector increased by 3,700 jobs while the public sector registered a 7,300-job loss. In the private sector, educational and health services gained 4,100 jobs and leisure and hospitality added 800 jobs. Natural resources and construction lost 400 jobs, financial activities registered a 300 job loss, professional and business services and other services each declined by 200 jobs, and trade, transportation and utilities lost 100 jobs. Manufacturing and information were unchanged over the month. In the public sector, the District government declined by 6,600 jobs, the federal government lost 700 jobs, while transportation was unchanged. The ending of the summer youth employment program accounted for the drop in District government employment.

In the last 12 months, the District gained a total of 7,600 jobs. The private sector increased by 7,800 jobs while the public sector registered a loss of 200 jobs. The private sector growth was concentrated in professional and business services (up by 4,800 jobs), leisure and hospitality (up by 1,800 jobs), natural resources and construction (up by 400 jobs), and educational and health services (up by 400 jobs). Trade, transportation and utilities added 300 jobs and financial activities added 100 jobs. The remaining private sector industries were unchanged over the year. In the public sector, the District government registered a 500-job loss, while the federal government gained 300 jobs and transportation was unchanged.

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 25,000 in September 2004 as employment fell by 19,000 and the number unemployed decreased by 6,000. The unemployment rate in the suburban ring, at 2.5 percent in September, was 0.2 percent lower than the August 2004 rate.

Over the last 12 months, the number of employed residents in the suburban ring rose by 73,100. With 12,400 fewer unemployed suburban residents, the suburban civilian labor force rose by 61,000. The suburban ring’s September 2004 unemployment rate of 2.5 percent was 0.6 percent lower than the 3.1 percent rate in September 2003.

For the Washington Metropolitan Area, the civilian labor force decreased by 26,400 in September 2004. The number of employed residents in the metropolitan area fell by 20,800, and the number of unemployed residents decreased by 5,700. The metropolitan area’s unemployment rate at 3.1 percent in September 2004 was 0.2 percent lower than the revised August 2004 rate of 3.3 percent.

Compared to September 2003, the metropolitan area’s civilian labor force rose by 63,300. Employment increased by 71,900, with 8,800 fewer unemployed. The Washington Metropolitan Area’s September 2004 unemployment rate was 0.4 percent lower than the September 2003 rate of 3.5 percent.

Washington Metropolitan Area Job Growth

Total wage and salary employment in the Washington Metropolitan Area increased over the month in September 2004 by 9,600. The private sector decreased by 1,800 while the public sector added 11,400 jobs over the month. The largest private sector losses were in leisure and hospitality (down by 4,000 jobs), professional and business services (down by 3,000 jobs), and other services (down by 1,200 jobs). Losses were also registered in natural resources, mining and construction (down by 800 jobs), financial activities (down by 800 jobs), trade, transportation, and utilities (down by 700 jobs), manufacturing (down by 400 jobs), and information (down by 400 jobs). These losses were partially offset by a gain in educational and health services (up by 9,500 jobs). In the public sector, the federal government shed 1,000 jobs while local government employment increased by 11,300 jobs and state government added 1,100 jobs.

During the past 12 months, the Washington Metropolitan Area gained 65,600 jobs. The private sector gained 63,700 jobs and the public sector added 1,900 jobs. Private sector gains were registered in professional and business services (up by 22,700 jobs), trade, transportation, and utilities (up by 14,600 jobs), natural resources, mining and construction (up by 10,500 jobs), leisure and hospitality (up by 8,800 jobs), financial activities (up by 3,600 jobs), other services (up by 2,300 jobs), educational and health services (up by 1,100 jobs), and information (up by 700 jobs). Manufacturing lost 600 jobs. In government, the state governments gained 7,200 jobs and the federal government added 1,500 jobs, while the local governments lost 6,800 jobs.