Washington region federal jobs fall to 312,500, a 30-year low

Federal employment in the Washington region fell to 312,500 in May 2026, the lowest level in three decades, according to regional council of governments data.

Washington region · July 20, 2026

Federal employment across the Washington region stood at 312,500 in May 2026, the lowest level in three decades, according to Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments data reported by ARLnow on July 20, 2026.

The total was nearly 376,000 when President Donald Trump's second term began in January 2025, a decline of more than 60,000 federal positions in less than a year and a half. The council of governments tracks employment across the Washington area, a region that includes Northern Virginia's counties and cities.

ARLnow's report cites Axios reporting that names the federal job losses as a primary reason the District of Columbia is in a mild recession.