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Morning Roundup: Change Edition
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The District Department of Employment Services released its monthly jobs numbers this morning, and the news appears to be rather grim. D.C.'s September unemployment rate rose by 0.3 percent over August, up to 11.4 percent, marking a brand new high since the current recession began. August, with its 11.1 percent unemployment rate, had previously seen the worst D.C. jobs figures of the year.
The September numbers compare with a national unemployment rate of 9.8 percent, up from 9.7 percent in August.
Not enough doom and gloom for ya? Well congratulations, D.C., because our September job losses also made us number one in the nation for the biggest month-to-month increase in unemployment. We knew we'd end up being the best at something if we just kept trying!
The greater metro area continues to be bolstered by better jobs numbers in Maryland and Virginia, however. Maryland's September unemployment rate was 7.2 percent, and Virginia's was 6.7 percent, both significantly lower than the national rate.
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Wow. Things are getting pretty desperate. Maybe those bums who spend all day loitering in the parks, drinking on stoops, and pissing in alleys will finally break down and try and get a job. Naaaaaahhhh.
An interesting correllation was pointed out to me. If you look at monthly crime crime stats, you see that property crimes tend to occur more often at the end of the month than the beginning. One might infer that by the end of the month, the perp's welfare check has already been spent and needs a little something to get him through to next month.
inspired photo choice!
This map may be a little behind the times (goes through July stats, I think) but it's interesting for all the visual learners out there. I wish we could zoom in and see DC at the end, but it does seem like we're one of the last green dots as everyone else turns red.
Remember those numbers only reflect those that are "in the system", actively looking for work and don't currently have a job. You have to be "looking" (or at least say you are) to draw unemployment. It doesn't include the hard-core unemployed (or unemployable.) So the number of people without meaningful work in the District is much higher.
What do you need a fancy suit for, Charlie, you ain't got no job to wear it to