The District ended 2011 with an average yearly unemployment rate of 10.3 percent, slightly higher than the rate for 2010 and far higher than that for 2007 before the start of the recession. In particular, unemployment has risen sharply over the last several years for black residents and those with only a high school degree. Evidence of an economic recovery remains elusive for these DC residents.
DC Fiscal Policy Institute is tracking changes in the city’s unemployment rate on a quarterly basis.. After rising in the first three quarters of 2011, DC’s unemployment rate dipped slightly in the fourth quarter. As of December 2011, the city’s unemployment rate stood at 10.4 percent, down from 11.2 percent in September. The yearly average for 2011 ended up at 10.3 percent, remaining above the U.S. national average of 8.9 percent.
Analysis of data from the Census Bureau’s Current Population Survey reflects DC’s uneven recovery from the recession, and the fact that some groups of residents are still facing high rates of joblessness. This analysis looks at unemployment by education, race/ethnicity, age, household, and occupation. It also includes data on unemployment in the fourth quarter of 2011 (October to December), the most recent three months for which data are available. With data now available for all of 2011, this quarterly analysis focuses on figures for 2011 as a whole.
To view the full report, click here.