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Washington Metropolitan Division's Unemployment Rate Holds at 3.0 Percent in March 2006
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(Washington, DC) The Department of Employment Services today announced that the Washington Metropolitan Division’s not seasonally adjusted March 2006 unemployment rate at 3.0 percent, remained unchanged from the February 2006 rate. However, over the year the March rate dropped by 0.6 percent.
The March unemployment rate in the Washington Metropolitan Division and Area were 3.0 and 2.9 percent respectively, this remains substantially below the national rate of 4.8 percent.
Over the last 12 months, the number of employed residents in the Washington Metropolitan Division rose by 67,100. With 13,100 fewer unemployed division residents, the division civilian labor force rose by 54,000. The metropolitan division’s March 2006 unemployment rate of 3.0 percent was 0.6 percent lower than the 3.6 percent rate in March 2005.
 
Washington Metropolitan Division Job Growth
Total wage and salary employment in the Washington Metropolitan Division increased over the month in March 2006 by 16,000. The private sector increased by 13,400 jobs and the public sector gained 2,600 jobs. Within the private sector, gains were registered in professional and business services (up by 3,800 jobs), leisure and hospitality (up by 3,600 jobs), trade, transportation, and utilities (up by 1,700 jobs), natural resources, mining and construction (up by 1,500 jobs), other services (up by 1,300 jobs), financial activities (up by 500 jobs), manufacturing (up by 400 jobs), and information and educational and health services (up by 300 jobs each). In the public sector, state government added 2,200 jobs; local government gained 800 jobs; and the federal government lost 400 jobs.
During the past 12 months, the Washington Metropolitan Division gained 60,600 jobs. The private sector gained 53,800 jobs and the public sector added 6,800 jobs. Private sector gains were registered in professional and business services (up by 23,600 jobs), leisure and hospitality (up by 7,400 jobs), natural resources, mining and construction (up by 7,300 jobs), educational and health services (up by 7,100 jobs), trade, transportation, and utilities (up by 6,000 jobs), financial activities (up by 2,400 jobs), other services (up by 1,700 jobs), and manufacturing (up by 300 jobs). Information lost 2,000 jobs. In government, local government gained 7,300 jobs and state government added 700 jobs while the federal government lost 1,200 jobs.
Washington Metropolitan Statistical Area Civilian Labor Force Employment and Unemployment Rate
The civilian labor force in the suburban ring of communities surrounding the District of Columbia increased by 13,900 in March 2006 as employment rose by 15,600 and the number unemployed decreased by 1,700. The unemployment rate in the suburban ring, at 2.6 percent in March, was 0.1 percent lower than the rate in February 2006.
Over the last 12 months, the number of employed residents in the suburban ring rose by 92,000. With 12,600 fewer unemployed suburban residents, the suburban civilian labor force rose by 79,400. The suburban ring’s March 2006 unemployment rate of 2.6 percent was 0.6 percent lower than the rate in March 2005.
For the Washington Metropolitan Statistical Area, the number of persons in the civilian labor force increased by 11,400 in March 2006. The number of employed residents in the metropolitan area rose by 13,400, and the number of unemployed residents decreased by 2,000. The metropolitan area’s unemployment rate at 2.9 percent in March 2006 was 0.1 percent lower than the rate in February 2006.
Compared to March 2005, the metropolitan area’s civilian labor force rose by 72,000. Employment increased by 89,700 and unemployment decreased by 17,700. The Washington Metropolitan Area’s March 2006 unemployment rate was 0.7 percent lower than the March 2005 rate of 3.6 percent.
Washington Metropolitan Statistical Area Job Growth
March 2006 wage and salary employment estimates for the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area will be released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics on May 3, 2006. The estimates for the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area will be the summation of the estimates for the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Division (contained in this release) and the Bethesda-Gaithersburg-Frederick, MD Metropolitan Division (to be released by the Maryland
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