June 2025

Released July 18, 2025

Download the full PDF for District of Columbia

Download the summary PDF for District of Columbia

United States

Employment snapshot

• In June, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 11, rose in 7, and remained unchanged in 33.

• The highest unemployment rate was 5.9 percent in District of Columbia, and the lowest was 1.8 percent in South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate fell by 0.1 percentage point to 4.1 percent.

• In June, payroll jobs rose in 27 states and fell in 24. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.9 percent in Alaska. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.5 percent in Rhode Island.

District of Columbia

Employment snapshot

• In June, District of Columbia lost 2,800 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 5.9 percent. In the prior month, District of Columbia lost 1,700 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, District of Columbia lost 6,100 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.6 percentage points from 5.3 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 147,000 in June, or 0.1 percent. District of Columbia ranks 51st in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In June, District of Columbia’s private sector lost 1,900 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it lost 1,000 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, District of Columbia lost 600 net private payroll jobs.

• In June, employment in District of Columbia fell by 84, and over the past 12 months it rose by 2,237.

• District of Columbia’s labor force participation rate fell to 72.1 percent in June from 72.2 percent and ranks 1st in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 0.2 percentage points.

---

District of Columbia

Payroll employment

• District of Columbia lost 2,800 net payroll jobs, or -0.4 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during June. In the prior month, District of Columbia lost 1,700 jobs. District of Columbia nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 5 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 147,000 in June, or 0.1 percent. District of Columbia ranks 51st in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• District of Columbia lost 1,900 private sector jobs, or -0.4 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during June. In the prior month, District of Columbia lost 600 jobs. District of Columbia private sector payroll employment has increased in 7 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 74,000 jobs in June, or 0.1 percent. District of Columbia ranks 49th in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.

From May 2025 to June 2025:

• The best performing sectors were Financial Activities (+200) and Manufacturing (+0).
• The worst performing sectors were Private Education and Health Services (-800) and Federal Government (-700).

From June 2024 to June 2025:

• The best performing sectors were Leisure and Hospitality (+1,500) and Other Services (+1,100).
• The worst performing sectors were Federal Government (-4,700) and Professional and Business Services (-2,200).

District of Columbia

Labor force

The labor force participation rate is the percentage of the civilian noninstitutionalized population age 16 and older who are employed or actively looking for work.

• The labor force participation rate in District of Columbia fell to 72.1 percent in June from 72.2 percent in the prior month.

• District of Columbia ranks 1st in the nation.

• The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in District of Columbia was 72.9 percent occurring in February 2024, and the 10-year low was 68 percent in May 2020.

• The national labor force participation rate fell by 0.1 percentage points to 62.3 percent in June.