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The District's Unemployment Rate at 9.0 Percent in December 2004
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(Washington, DC) The Department of Employment Services (DOES) announced that the District of Columbia's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in December 2004 was 9.0 percent. This represents a 0.2 percent increase from the November 2004 rate of 8.8 percent and a 2.0 percent yearly increase.
“The number of unemployed District residents continued to increase in December, as a significant number of job seekers entering the labor market failed to find employment,” stated DOES Director Gregg Irish. “Generally, December marks a period of increased holiday hiring which the city did not experience to the same magnitude as in previous years.” In December, there were 2,500 more employed residents and 1,000 more unemployed residents, which resulted in a 3,500 increase in the seasonally adjusted labor force. Mr. Irish added, “The city’s job growth has remained strong over the year adding 8,200 jobs.”
The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for December 2004 was 8.7 percent; unchanged from the rate in November 2004 and 2.1 percent higher than the rate in December 2003.
District of Columbia Civilian Labor Force, Employment, Unemployment and Unemployment Rate
District Job Growth
Washington Metropolitan Area Civilian Labor Force, Employment, Unemployment and Unemployment Rate
Washington Metropolitan Area Job Growth
District of Columbia Civilian Labor Force, Employment, Unemployment and Unemployment Rate
Over the month, the District’s civilian labor force increased by 1,600 to 306,900. A total of 280,300 residents were employed and 26,500 were unemployed in December 2004. A 1,500 increase in the number of employed residents coupled with a 100 decrease in the number of unemployed residents resulted in the not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate remaining unchanged over the month at 8.7 percent.
The District’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for December was 9.0 percent; two-tenths of a percent higher than the rate in November 2004 and 2.0 percent higher than the December 2003 rate.
The December 2004 national unemployment rate of 5.1 percent (not seasonally adjusted) was one-tenth of a percent lower than the November 2004 rate and three-tenths of a percent lower than the December 2003 rate.
The seasonally adjusted national unemployment rate in December 2004 was 5.4 percent; unchanged from the November 2004 rate and 0.3 percent lower than the December 2003, seasonally adjusted, national unemployment rate.
From December 2003 to December 2004, the District’s civilian labor force increased by 11,200 as the number of employed residents increased by 4,100 and the number of unemployed residents increased by 7,000. The District’s unemployment rate for December 2004 was 2.1 percent higher than the 6.6 percent rate in December 2003.
 
District Job Growth
The number of District wage and salary jobs increased by 1,000 in December 2004. The private sector increased by 100 jobs and the public sector registered a 900 job gain. In the private sector, trade, transportation and utilities gained 600 jobs, professional and business services added 500 jobs and financial activities increased by 200 jobs. Educational and health services declined by 1,000 jobs and leisure and hospitality lost 200 jobs. Natural resources and construction, manufacturing, information and other services were unchanged over the month. In the public sector, the federal government added 800 jobs and the District government gained 100 jobs while transportation was unchanged.
In the last 12 months, the District gained a total of 8,200 jobs. The private sector increased by 6,900 jobs and the public sector added 1,300 jobs. The private sector growth occurred in professional and business services (up by 4,600 jobs), leisure and hospitality (up by 1,800 jobs), trade, transportation and utilities (up by 600 jobs), educational and health services (up by 300 jobs) and information (up by 100 jobs). Natural resources and construction lost 300 jobs and other services declined by 200 jobs. The remaining private sector industries were unchanged over the year. In the public sector, the federal government gained 600 jobs and the District government gained 800 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 14,500 in December 2004 as employment fell by 9,000 and the number unemployed decreased by 5,400. The unemployment rate in the suburban ring, at 2.3 percent in December, was 0.2 percent lower than the rate in November 2004.
Over the last 12 months, the number of employed residents in the suburban ring rose by 77,000. With 9,500 fewer unemployed suburban residents, the suburban civilian labor force rose by 67,500. The suburban ring’s December 2004 unemployment rate of 2.3 percent was four-tenths of a percent lower than the 2.7 percent rate in December 2003.
For the Washington Metropolitan Area, the civilian labor force decreased by 12,900 in December 2004. The number of employed residents in the metropolitan area fell by 7,500, and the number of unemployed residents decreased by 5,500. The metropolitan area’s unemployment rate at 2.9 percent in December 2004 was 0.2 percent lower than the rate in November 2004.
Compared to December 2003, the metropolitan area’s civilian labor force rose by 78,700. Employment increased by 81,100 and unemployment decreased by 2,500. The Washington Metropolitan Area’s December 2004 unemployment rate was two-tenths of a percent lower than the December 2003 rate of 3.1 percent.
Washington Metropolitan Area Job Growth
Total wage and salary employment in the Washington Metropolitan Area increased over the month in December 2004 by 2,700. The public sector accounted for the gain as the private sector was unchanged over the month. Within the private sector, gains were registered in trade, transportation, and utilities (up by 3,400 jobs), other services (up by 1,200 jobs), manufacturing and information (each up by 500 jobs), and educational and health services (up by 300 jobs). Losses were registered in professional and business services (down by 2,700 jobs), natural resources, mining and construction (down by 1,900 jobs), leisure and hospitality (down by 1,200 jobs), and financial activities (down by 100 jobs). In the public sector, the federal government added 1,500 jobs, local government employment increased by 900 jobs and state government gained 300 jobs.
During the past 12 months, the Washington Metropolitan Area gained 78,800 jobs. The private sector gained 72,100 jobs and the public sector added 6,700 jobs. Private sector gains were registered in professional and business services (up by 26,700 jobs), trade, transportation, and utilities (up by 19,400 jobs), natural resources, mining and construction (up by 9,500 jobs), other services (up by 6,100 jobs), leisure and hospitality (up by 4,200 jobs), educational and health services (up by 3,600 jobs), financial activities (up by 2,400 jobs), and information (up by 500 jobs). Manufacturing lost 300 jobs. In government, state government gained 3,800 jobs; local government added 2,300 jobs and the federal government gained 600 jobs.
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