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Fairfax County’s unemployed population rose sharply in March, climbing 17% from a year earlier and 52% from March 2024, according to newly released state data.

The county had 22,680 residents counted as unemployed in March 2026, up from 19,376 in March 2025 and 14,917 two years earlier.

Fairfax County’s unemployment rate reached 3.6%, compared with 3% a year ago and 2.3% in March 2024.

The year-over-year increase was broadly consistent with trends in neighboring jurisdictions. The number of unemployed residents grew 11.4% in Arlington County, 11.5% in Fairfax City, 14.8% in Alexandria and 14.9% in Falls Church.

Across Northern Virginia, 62,518 residents were counted as unemployed in March, an increase of 15.6% from the previous year. The region’s unemployment rate rose from 3% to 3.6%.

Virginia’s statewide rate increased to 3.8% from 3.3% a year earlier. The state had about 4.32 million people in its civilian workforce, including just under 170,500 who were looking for work.

The broader Washington metropolitan area recorded a 4.1% unemployment rate, up from 3.6% in March 2025. Its unemployed population increased 10.6% to 142,151.

The Washington region was among 174 metropolitan areas with a year-over-year rise in unemployment. Rates declined in 172 metro areas and remained unchanged in 41. Twenty-five areas had rates below 3%, while 10 had rates above 8%.

Nationally, the non-seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.3% in March, little changed from the previous year.

Rapid City, South Dakota, posted the nation’s lowest metropolitan unemployment rate at 2%. Burlington, Vermont, and Honolulu followed at 2.2%, while El Centro, California, recorded the highest rate at 16.9%.

Wildwood-The Villages, Florida, had the largest year-over-year increase at 2.2 percentage points. Sandusky, Ohio, posted the largest decline, falling 2 percentage points.

All figures for March 2026 are preliminary and may be revised.