States · District of Columbia

District of Columbia Economy — Live Data

Tracking the District of Columbia economy: unemployment at 6.1% (above the national rate of 4.2%), plus job growth, home prices, and income — all sourced from the Federal Reserve and Bureau of Labor Statistics, in plain English.

Unemployment Rate
6.1%
▲ Above US average (4.2%)
Nonfarm Jobs
718K
▼ -5.3% jobs YoY
House Prices (YoY)
+0.9%
▲ Rising
Per-Capita Income
$116K
▲ +2.8% vs prior year
District of Columbia vs. United States — Unemployment
District of Columbia
6.1%
United States
4.2%

District of Columbia is running above the national unemployment rate. At 6.1% vs 4.2% nationally, local job seekers face a somewhat tougher market than the US average.

Jobs & Output
Nonfarm payrolls
718K
Job growth (YoY)
-5.3%
Real GDP (2025)
$146B
GDP growth (YoY)
+0.4%

Payrolls are monthly (BLS); GDP and income are annual (BEA). Key sectors in District of Columbia: government, professional services, and hospitality.

What this means if you live or work in District of Columbia
💼
Job market
With unemployment at or above the national average, hiring in District of Columbia is more employer-friendly — job seekers should expect more competition per opening.
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Housing
House prices are rising moderately (+0.9% YoY) — a balanced market by recent standards.
💵
Income
Per-capita personal income in District of Columbia is $116,121, up 2.8% from the prior year. Compare against national inflation to gauge real purchasing power.
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Key industries
District of Columbia's economy leans on government, professional services, and hospitality — sector-specific national trends (energy prices, rates, consumer spending) hit this state through those channels first.
Key Numbers — District of Columbia
Unemployment6.1%
US unemployment4.2%
Nonfarm jobs718K
House prices YoY+0.9%
Per-capita income$116,121
Real GDP$146B
Labor data as ofMay 2026
Nearby States
Maryland economy → Virginia economy → Delaware economy → Pennsylvania economy → All 50 states →
National Data
US labor market → US housing data → US inflation → Full dashboard →

Data: FRED (Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis) — series DCUR, DCNA, DCSTHPI, DCPCPI, DCRGSP — plus BLS and BEA. Live values load on page open; figures shown are the most recent official releases. Not financial advice.