Economy of Washington D.C.

Washington has a growing, diversified economy with an increasing percentage of professional and business service jobs. The gross state product of the District in 2010 was $103.3 billion, which would rank it No. 34 compared to the 50 U.S. states. As of June 2011, the Washington Metropolitan Area had an unemployment rate of 6.2%; the second-lowest rate among the 49 largest metro areas in the nation. The District of Columbia itself had an unemployment rate of 9.8% during the same time period.
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In 2008, the federal government accounted for about 27% of the jobs in Washington, D.C. This is thought to immunize Washington to national economic downturns because the federal government continues operations even during recessions. However, as of January 2007, federal employees in the Washington area comprised only 14% of the total U.S. government workforce. Many organizations such as law firms, independent contractors (both defense and civilian), non-profit organizations, lobbying firms, trade unions, industry trade groups, and professional associations have their headquarters in or near D.C. to be close to the federal government.
The District has growing industries not directly related to government, especially in the areas of education, finance, public policy, and scientific research. Georgetown University, George Washington University, Washington Hospital Center, Children's National Medical Center and Howard University are the top five non-government-related employers in the city as of 2009. There are five Fortune 1000 companies based in Washington, of which two are also Fortune 500 companies.
Washington became the leader in foreign real estate investment in 2009, ahead of both London and New York City, in a survey of the top 200 global development companies. In 2006, Expansion Magazine ranked D.C. among the top ten areas in the nation favorable to business expansion. Despite the national economic crisis and housing price downturn, Washington ranked second on the Forbes list of the best long-term housing markets in the country.
Gentrification efforts are taking hold in Washington, D.C., notably in the neighborhoods of Logan Circle, Shaw, Columbia Heights, the U Street Corridor, and the 14th Street Corridor. Development was fostered in some neighborhoods by the late-1990s construction of the Green Line on Metrorail, Washington's subway system, which linked them to the downtown area. In March 2008, a new shopping mall in Columbia Heights became the first new major retail center in the District in 40 years. As in many cities, gentrification is revitalizing Washington's economy, but analysts claim its benefits are unevenly distributed throughout the city and that the economic growth is not directly helping poor people.


A
Acacia Life Insurance Company
The Acting Company
Advisory Board Company
Allied Capital
APCO Worldwide
Appalachian Spring (store)
Arbitron
Atlantic Media Company
Avascent Group
B
BASE Productions
BGR Capital & Trade
Big Neck Records
Black Entertainment Television
Blackboard Inc.
Blue State Digital
BusJunction
C
C-SPAN
Carlyle Group
Carpark Records
Clyde's Restaurant Group
Cogent Communications
The Cohen Group
COMSAT
CoStar Group
D
D.C. United Holdings
DCI Group
Democracy Institute
D cont.
Dexter Industries
Diego's Hair Salon
Dreamcity Theatre
Dutko Worldwide
E
Easy Software Products
Eloqua
ESL Music
F
Fannie Mae
Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation
Federal News Service
G
The Gallup Organization
Global Trade Watch
Greenfield Belser
H
Hanley Wood
Hellowallet
HotPads.com
I
Interface Media Group
J
JESS3
Jordan Kitts Music
K
Kiplinger
Kramerbooks & Afterwords
L
Lincoln Group
Logik (eDiscovery Processing and Hosting Services)
M
Magruder's
Marriott Hotels & Resorts
N
National Geographic Channel
National Trust Community Investment Corporation
N cont.
Novara (bicycles)
O
Opera Lafayette
P
Patriot Strategies
Paw Tracks
Pepco
Pepco Holdings
Podesta Group
Prison Fellowship
ProtectSeniors.Org
R
Red Zebra Broadcasting
Regnery Publishing
S
The Scowcroft Group
Selmedica
Students of Georgetown, Inc.
T
User:Talandrew/DFI International
Tasty Concepts
The Washington Post Company
Treasury Department Federal Credit Union
U
Union Labor Life Insurance Company
W
Washington Gas
Washington National Opera
Washington Nationals
Washington Society of Landscape Painters
Lists of corporate headquarters by city
Witeck-Combs Communications, Inc.