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Washington, DC, metropolitan area lost 103,900 jobs from January 2025 to January 2026

April 21, 2026

In January 2026, nonfarm payroll employment increased over the year in 9 metropolitan areas, decreased in 6 areas, and was essentially unchanged in 372 areas.

12-month changes in nonfarm employment by metropolitan area, statistically significant gains and losses, January 2025 to January 2026
Metropolitan areaEmployment changePercent change

San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA

19,3001.7

Fresno, CA

8,1001.9

Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR

7,3002.5

Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ

7,2004.5

Stockton-Lodi, CA

6,3002.2

Wilmington, NC

5,5002.9

Barnstable Town, MA

5,1005.9

Merced, CA

4,4006.0

Columbia, MO

4,3003.8

Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ

-1,800-5.2

Yuma, AZ

-2,800-4.4

Bloomington, IN

-6,600-8.1

Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA

-22,700-1.8

Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH

-30,200-1.1

Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV

-103,900-3.1

Note: Data are not seasonally adjusted.

The largest statistically significant over-the-year employment increases occurred in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, California (+19,300), Fresno, California (+8,100) and Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, Arkansas (+7,300). The largest decreases occurred in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV (−103,900), Boston-Cambridge-Newton, Massachusetts-New Hampshire (−30,200), and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, Oregon-Washington (−22,700).

The largest statistically significant over-the-year percentage gains in employment occurred in Merced, California (+6.0 percent), Barnstable Town, Massachusetts (+5.9 percent), and Atlantic City-Hammonton, New Jersey (+4.5 percent). The largest losses occurred in Bloomington, Indiana (−8.1 percent), Sierra Vista-Douglas, Arizona (−5.2 percent), and Yuma, Arizona (−4.4 percent).

These data are from the Current Employment Statistics program and are not seasonally adjusted. Data for the most recent month are preliminary. To learn more, see "Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment — January 2026." We also have charts related to the latest "Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment" news release.

 

SUGGESTED CITATION

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, The Economics Daily, Washington, DC, metropolitan area lost 103,900 jobs from January 2025 to January 2026 at https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2026/washington-dc-metropolitan-area-lost-103900-jobs-from-january-2025-to-january-2026.htm (visited April 22, 2026).