The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG) reported via its Regional Economic Monitoring System that the Washington Metropolitan Statistical Area lost 54,500 federal jobs from May 2025 to May 2026, part of a broader decline of 100,500 total jobs. Federal employment dropped from 375,800 in January 2025 to 312,500 by May 2026, the lowest level in three decades.
The region’s unemployment rate held steady at 3.9 percent while the professional and business sector also shed jobs, highlighting ongoing federal workforce reductions impacting Northern Virginia’s economy.
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