The D.C. region’s federal workforce has reached its lowest level since 1990 under cuts pursued by the Trump administration, according to a new economic analysis from the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments.
The D.C. metropolitan area lost 62,100 federal jobs between January 2025 and January 2026, putting the region’s federal workforce — approximately 313,700 — at its lowest level since 1990, according to the COG report.
Because the D.C. metro area has the largest federal workforce, it disproportionately lost the most federal jobs year over year. Its 16.5% decline is second only to the Baltimore region’s 20.5% reduction.
“The numbers are stark. We cannot achieve long-term economic resilience without coordinated action,” said Clark Mercer, the COG executive director.
While COG’s report does not break down federal losses by locality, Alexandria City Council was briefed on the city’s own outlook in March.
Brookings Institution fellow Tracy Hadden Loh presented findings on the DMV Monitor project, created in partnership with COG to examine how federal spending and staffing cuts are affecting the regional economy. That data showed federal jobs were down 4.8% in Alexandria since January 2025. Losses were cushioned, however, by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s headquarters relocation and retention of the National Science Foundation.
On the other hand, the Brookings Institution estimated Alexandria lost more private sector jobs than almost any other jurisdiction in the D.C. metro area last year. According to the data, Alexandria’s private sector jobs are down 1.1% since January 2025, and federal obligations and contracts are down 16% from November 2024 to November 2025.
COG’s latest data shows Alexandria’s year-over-year unemployment rate rose 1% to reach 3.7% in January 2026 — still well below the 10.1% recorded in April 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Alexandria’s 3.7% rate is also below the region’s 4.4% unemployment rate as of January.
Regional leaders are seeking to rebound by growing the private sector and connecting former federal workers to new opportunities. Mercer said COG is encouraged that D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D), Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) and Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) have met twice to discuss workforce development and other concerns.
“Area leaders have been working across the public, private, nonprofit, and higher education sectors to advance several new collaborations,” Mercer said. “We need to build on this momentum.”
