District of Columbia's Unemployment Rate Falls 0.4 Percent in March 2005 - Releases

(Washington, DC) Today, Gregg Irish, Director of the Department of Employment Services (DOES) announced that the District of Columbia's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for March was 7.8 percent. This is a 0.3 percent reduction from the February 2005 revised rate of 8.1 percent. The rate is 0.1 percent higher than in March 2004.

“This month, there were 1,300 fewer District residents’ unemployed and 1,500 more working. The decline in the March unemployment rate is the direct result of these two positive factors,” said Director Irish. “From March 2004, the labor force in the District has increased by 4,900 with 4,300 more residents employed and 600 more unemployed.”

The seasonally adjusted national unemployment rate in March 2005 was 5.2 percent; 0.2 percent lower than the February 2005 rate and 0.5 percent lower than the March 2004, seasonally adjusted, national unemployment rate.

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

The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for March 2005 was 7.6 percent; down 0.6 percent from the February 2005 rate of 8.2 percent and 0.4 percent lower than the 8.0 percent rate in March 2004.

Over the month, the District’s civilian labor force decreased by 2,200 to 300,900. A total of 278,000 residents were employed and 22,800 were unemployed in March 2005. A 2,000 decrease in the number of unemployed residents along with a 300 decrease in the number of employed residents was responsible for the 0.6 percent drop in the not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate.

From March 2004 to March 2005, the District’s civilian labor force increased by 3,000 as the number of employed residents increased by 4,000 and the number of unemployed residents decreased by 1,100. The District’s March 2005 unemployment rate was 0.4 percent lower than the 8.0 percent rate in March 2004.`

The March 2005 national unemployment rate of 5.4 percent (not seasonally adjusted) was four-tenths of a percent lower than the February 2005 rate and six-tenths of a percent lower than the March 2004 rate.

District of Columbia Job Growth

The number of District wage and salary jobs increased by 4,900 in March 2005. The private sector increased by 4,100 jobs and the public sector registered an 800 job gain. In the private sector, leisure and hospitality gained 1,600 jobs; professional and business services added 1,400 jobs, and other services increased by 500 jobs. Natural resources and construction and educational and health services each gained 200 jobs while information and financial activities each added 100 jobs.

In the last 12 months, the District gained a total of 4,100 jobs. The private sector increased by 4,300 jobs while the public sector lost 200 jobs. The private sector growth occurred in leisure and hospitality (up by 2,200 jobs), professional and business services (up by 2,100 jobs), other services (up by 1,700 jobs), financial activities (up by 400 jobs), and educational and health services (up by 200 jobs). Losses occurred in information (down by 1,300 jobs), trade, transportation and utilities (down by 600 jobs), natural resources and construction (down by 300 jobs), and manufacturing (down by 100 jobs). In the public sector, the federal government lost 800 jobs, the District government gained 600 jobs and transportation was unchanged.

Washington Metropolitan Division Civilian Labor Force, Employment, and Unemployment Rate

The civilian labor force in the Washington Metropolitan Division increased by 8,900 in March 2005 as employment rose by 13,300 and the number unemployed decreased by 4,300. The unemployment rate in the Washington Metropolitan Division, at 3.6 percent in March, was two-tenths of a percent lower than the rate in February 2005.

Over the last 12 months, the number of employed residents in the Washington Metropolitan Division rose by 49,900. With 5,400 fewer unemployed division residents, the division civilian labor force rose by 44,400. The metropolitan division’s March 2005 unemployment rate of 3.6 percent was four-tenths of a percent lower than the 4.0 percent rate in March 2004.

Washington Metropolitan Division Job Growth

Total wage and salary employment in the Washington Metropolitan Division increased over the month in March 2005 by 20,400. The private sector gained 19,700 jobs and the public sector added 700 jobs over the month. Within the private sector, gains were registered in professional and business services (up by 5,900 jobs), leisure and hospitality (up by 4,600 jobs), natural resources, mining and construction (up by 2,500 jobs), educational and health services (up by 2,400 jobs), trade, transportation, and utilities (up by 2,100 jobs), other services (up by 1,100 jobs), financial activities (up by 500 jobs), and manufacturing and information (each up by 300 jobs). In the public sector, state government and local government increased by 500 jobs each, while the federal government shed 300 jobs.

During the past 12 months, the Washington Metropolitan Division gained 61,500 jobs. The private sector gained 56,700 jobs and the public sector added 4,800 jobs. Private sector gains were registered in professional and business services (up by 20,800 jobs), leisure and hospitality (up by 11,300 jobs), trade, transportation, and utilities (up by 7,400 jobs), natural resources, mining and construction (up by 6,500 jobs), educational and health services (up by 5,500 jobs), other services (up by 4,500 jobs), financial activities (up by 1,900 jobs), and manufacturing (up by 300 jobs). Information lost 1,500 jobs. In government, state government gained 2,200 jobs; the federal government added 2,000 jobs and local government gained 600 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 14,200 in March 2005 as employment rose by 17,000 and the number unemployed decreased by 2,600. The unemployment rate in the suburban ring, at 3.1 percent in March, was one-tenth of a percent lower than the rate in February 2005.

Over the last 12 months, the number of employed residents in the suburban ring rose by 49,000.   With 3,300 fewer unemployed suburban residents, the suburban civilian labor force rose by 45,600. The suburban ring’s March 2005 unemployment rate of 3.1 percent was two-tenths of a percent lower than the 3.3 percent rate in March 2004.

For the Washington Metropolitan Statistical Area, the civilian labor force increased by 12,000 in March 2005. The number of employed residents in the metropolitan area rose by 16,700, and the number of unemployed residents decreased by 4,600. The metropolitan area’s unemployment rate at 3.6 percent in March 2005 was one-tenth of a percent lower than the rate in February 2005.

Compared to March 2004, the metropolitan area’s civilian labor force rose by 48,600. Employment increased by 53,000 and unemployment decreased by 4,400. The Washington Metropolitan Area’s March 2005 unemployment rate was two-tenths of a percent lower than the March 2004 rate of 3.8 percent.



Washington Metropolitan Statistical Area Job Growth

March 2005 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 April 28, 2005. 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 Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation).