Fairfax County ended 2025 with nearly 20% more residents unable to find work than it started the year.
New figures reported yesterday (Wednesday) by the Virginia Department of Workforce Development and Advance pegged the county’s unemployment rate at 3.3% in December. Though down from 3.8% in November, it was up from 2.7% at the start of the year.
The 21,181 county residents reported seeking jobs in December were up from 17,744 in the January 2025 report — an increase of 19.4%.
The intervening 11 months brought the impacts of the Trump administration’s slashing of the federal government workforce, which rippled throughout the Northern Virginia economy.
In 2025, Fairfax recorded its highest unemployment rate (3.8%) in both August and November. That was the highest since the rate reached 3.9% in July 2021, when the region was still feeling significant effects from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The county’s unemployment during Covid-related shutdowns peaked at 10.3% in April 2020. It was about four times the unemployment rate pre-pandemic.
Reporting of December locality figures was delayed, likely owing to the aftermath of the federal government’s seven-week shutdown in the fall.
Across most of Northern Virginia, a similar trajectory played out over the past year as occurred in Fairfax. Unemployment rates for December, while lower than some recent months, were well above figures at the start of 2025.
In Arlington, 2025 concluded with a 3.1% jobless rate, down from 3.6% in November, but above the 2.5% reported in January 2025. The 4,676 residents counted as unemployed in December marked an increase of 23% from 3,814 in January 2025.
In Alexandria, December’s jobless rate of 3.3% was down from 3.8% in November but up from 2.7% to start 2025. The number of unemployed between the start and end of the year grew 20% to 3,282, according to state data.
In Falls Church, the year closed with a 3.8% unemployment rate, with 7,953 city residents in the workforce and 316 looking for jobs.
December’s jobless figure in Falls Church was down from the year-high 4.3% recorded in November.
In the City of Fairfax, December’s jobless rate of 2.9% represented 13,367 residents employed in the civilian workforce and 414 looking for jobs. Though it dipped from 3.5% in November, the rate had stood at 2.7% in January 2025.
Across the Northern Virginia portion of the Washington metro area, December’s jobless rate of 3.3% represented 1,684,236 people with jobs and 56,706 looking for work.
That was down from a yearly high of 3.8% in November, but up from 3% at the start of 2025.
Northern Virginia figures represent Arlington, Fairfax and Loudoun counties and the cities of Alexandria, Fairfax and Falls Church.
Statewide, the year closed with a 3.4% unemployment rate in December, representing 4,337,005 Virginians in the civilian workforce and 153,029 looking for jobs.
That was an improvement from the 3.9% unemployment rate recorded in November, which tied with August for the highest during the year.
But it was well above the 3% rate of January 2025, when Virginia had 4,464,004 in the workforce and 137,057 looking for work.
All figures represent non seasonally adjusted figures. All December 2025 figures are preliminary and are subject to revision.
