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The District's Current Unemployment Rate Rises Slightly to 7.9 Percent
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(Washington, DC) Today, Gregg Irish, director of the Department of Employment Services (DOES), announced that the District of Columbia's seasonally-adjusted May 2005 unemployment rate was 7.9 percent, up 0.2 percent from the April 2005 rate of 7.7 percent. This represents a 0.1 percent reduction in the rate since May 2004.
“The May increase reflects a decrease of 4,700 in the number of District residents leaving the labor market, while only 200 workers regained employment. To stabilize the monthly unemployment rate, workers exiting a job must reenter the workforce,” said Director Irish. “Although the number of jobless workers decreased over the month, over the year the labor force increased by 1,200 District residents.”
The seasonally-adjusted national unemployment rate in May 2005 was 5.1 percent; down 0.1 percent from April 2005 and 0.5 percent lower than May 2004.
District of Columbia Civilian Labor Force, Employment, Unemployment and Unemployment Rate
The not-seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate for May 2005 was 7.7 percent; up 0.8 percent over the month, and 0.1 percent higher than the 7.6 percent rate in May 2004.
Over the month, the District’s civilian labor force decreased by 4,600 to 295,400. A total of 272,700 residents were employed, and 22,800 were unemployed in May 2005. A 2,200 increase in the number of unemployed residents, along with a 6,700 decrease in the number of employed residents, was responsible for the 0.8 percent drop in the not-seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate.
From May 2004 to May 2005, the District’s civilian labor force increased by 1,400, as the number of employed residents increased by 1,100 and the number of unemployed residents increased by 400. The District’s May 2005 unemployment rate was 0.1 percent higher than the 7.6 percent rate in May 2004.
The May 2005 national unemployment rate of 4.9 percent (not seasonally-adjusted) was unchanged from the rate in April 2005 and 0.4 percent lower than the rate in May 2004.
 
District of Columbia Job Growth
The number of District wage and salary jobs increased by 800 in May 2005. The private sector increased by 900 jobs, and the public sector registered a 100-job loss. In the private sector, professional and business services added 1,000 jobs; leisure and hospitality gained 700 jobs; other services increased by 400 jobs; and financial activities gained 300 jobs. Natural resources and construction increased by 200 jobs, and information added 100 jobs. Educational and health services lost 1,800 jobs, while manufacturing and trade, transportation and utilities were unchanged over the month. In the public sector, the federal government shed 100 jobs, while the District government and transportation was unchanged.
In the last 12 months, the District gained a total of 6,400 jobs. The private sector increased by 6,300 jobs, and the public sector added 100 jobs. The private sector growth occurred in leisure and hospitality (up by 3,000 jobs), professional and business services (up by 2,500 jobs), other services (up by 1,700 jobs), and educational and health services (up by 700 jobs). Losses occurred in information (down by 900 jobs), natural resources and construction (down by 400 jobs) and trade, transportation and utilities (down by 300 jobs). Manufacturing and financial activities were unchanged. In the public sector, the federal government lost 1,100 jobs, the District government gained 1,300 jobs, and transportation lost 100 jobs.
Washington Metropolitan Division Civilian Labor Force, Employment, and Unemployment Rate
The civilian labor force in the Washington Metropolitan Division increased by 18,100 in May 2005, as employment rose by 13,000 and the number unemployed increased by 5,100. The unemployment rate in the Washington Metropolitan Division, at 3.7 percent in May, was two-tenths of a percent higher than the rate in April 2005.
Over the last 12 months, the number of employed residents in the Washington Metropolitan Division rose by 67,500. With 1,300 more unemployed division residents, the division civilian labor force rose by 68,800. The metropolitan division’s May 2005 unemployment rate of 3.7 percent was one-tenth of a percent lower than the 3.8 percent rate in May 2004.
Washington Metropolitan Division Job Growth
Total wage and salary employment in the Washington Metropolitan Division increased over the month in May 2005 by 15,500. The private sector gained 13,700 jobs and the public sector added 1,800 jobs over the month. Within the private sector, gains were registered in leisure and hospitality (up by 5,900 jobs), trade, transportation, and utilities (each up by 2,800 jobs), professional and business services (up by 2,600 jobs), natural resources, mining and construction (up by 2,200 jobs), financial activities (up by 900 jobs), other services (up by 700 jobs), information (up by 400 jobs), and manufacturing (up by 100 jobs). Educational and health services lost 1,900 jobs. In the public sector, local government gained 1,600 jobs, and the federal government added 200 jobs, while state government was unchanged.
During the past 12 months, the Washington Metropolitan Division gained 68,600 jobs. The private sector gained 62,800 jobs and the public sector added 5,800 jobs. Private sector gains were registered in professional and business services (up by 21,100 jobs); leisure and hospitality (up by 12,400 jobs); trade, transportation and utilities (up by 9,900 jobs); educational and health services (up by 7,300 jobs); natural resources, mining and construction (up by 6,500 jobs); other services (up by 4,600 jobs); financial activities (up by 1,200 jobs) and manufacturing (up by 500 jobs). Information lost 700 jobs. In government, state government gained 4,200 jobs, the federal government added 2,200 jobs, and local government lost 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 30,600 in May 2005, as employment rose by 27,000 and the number unemployed increased by 3,600. The unemployment rate in the suburban ring, at 3.1 percent in May, was one-tenth of a percent higher than the rate in April 2005.
Over the last 12 months, the number of employed residents in the suburban ring rose by 68,400. With 1,400 more unemployed suburban residents, the suburban civilian labor force rose by 69,900. The suburban ring’s May 2005 unemployment rate of 3.1 percent was unchanged from the rate in May 2004.
For the Washington Metropolitan Statistical Area, the civilian labor force increased by 26,000 in May 2005. The number of employed residents in the metropolitan area rose by 20,200, and the number of unemployed residents increased by 5,800. The metropolitan area’s unemployment rate at 3.6 percent in May 2005 was two-tenths of a percent higher than the rate in April 2005.
Compared to May 2004, the metropolitan area’s civilian labor force rose by 71,300. Employment increased by 69,500 and unemployment increased by 1,800. The Washington Metropolitan Area’s May 2005 unemployment rate was unchanged from the May 2004 rate of 3.6 percent.
Washington Metropolitan Statistical Area Job Growth
May 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 June 29, 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).
Special Note on Labor Force Data:
BLS introduced several changes to the Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) program’s methodology for estimating areas when January 2005 estimates were released. Subsequently, an error was found in inputs to the area estimation process that affected labor force estimates for all of the months of 2005. With the release of May 2005 preliminary data, labor force estimates for the metropolitan division, suburban area and the MSA for January through April 2005 have been revised.
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