On September 24, 2025, the 2025 State of Business Report and the Business Sentiments Survey were referenced in the New York Times:
The analysis, as well as a report recently released by the D.C. Chamber of Commerce, found that private sector job growth and entrepreneurial activity in the region have stagnated this year. The job categories that have seen new hires — construction, hospitality and health care — do not align with the skills of many former federal employees who are now looking for work.
Even as the supply of workers has ballooned, the demand for them has not: Job listings in the region lag other metro areas around the country, the Brookings report found, and postings for internships have dropped by 36 percent over the past year. According to a recent survey by the D.C. Policy Center, expectations from business owners and executives about the short-term business outlook of the city have become “quite pessimistic” compared to early 2025.
Read More: The D.C. Region Has Faced an Outsized Toll From Trump’s Policies
Additional reading: 2025 State of Business Report: Investing in growth