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Fairfax County began 2026 with 23,749 residents seeking work, a 33.8% increase from 17,744 in January 2025, according to state figures released April 16.

The county’s non-seasonally adjusted unemployment rate climbed from 2.7% to 3.8% during the same period. The increase comes as the Washington region continues to absorb federal workforce and spending cuts under the Trump administration.

The D.C. region lost approximately 56,000 jobs in 2025, a 1.7% decline that exceeded the losses in every other major U.S. metropolitan area. Researchers tracking the cuts said a 14.3% reduction in federal employment accounted for much of the decline, which was compounded by shrinking private-sector employment. Black and female workers were disproportionately affected.

Fairfax County’s increase in unemployed residents was smaller than the spikes recorded in several neighboring jurisdictions. Joblessness rose 54.7% in Arlington and 54.9% in Falls Church, while Alexandria posted a 33.9% increase.

The City of Fairfax had 477 residents seeking work in January, up 23.6% from the previous year. Its unemployment rate increased from 2.7% to 3.3%.

Across Northern Virginia, the number of unemployed residents rose 30.9% to 64,087, while the regional unemployment rate climbed from 2.8% to 3.7%. The highest total recorded since January 2025 was 65,408 unemployed residents in November.

The broader D.C. metropolitan area had 149,568 jobless residents in January, a 23.8% year-over-year increase. Its unemployment rate rose from 3.4% to 4.4%.

Virginia’s statewide unemployed population increased 18.7% to 173,934, with the unemployment rate moving from 3.2% to 3.9%.

State figures arrived one day after the release of federal metropolitan employment data for January. Monthly state and federal reports remain delayed following the seven-week federal government shutdown in 2025.

Nationally, unemployment rates increased in 252 of 387 metropolitan areas, declined in 101 and remained unchanged in 34. The nationwide non-seasonally adjusted rate rose from 4.4% to 4.7%.

Honolulu recorded the lowest metropolitan unemployment rate at 2.1%, while El Centro, California, had the highest at 18.6%. Among the 56 metropolitan areas with more than 1 million residents, Honolulu again had the lowest rate, while Fresno, California, had the highest at 8.8%.

All January 2026 figures are preliminary and may be revised.