Federal workforce cuts leave two-thirds of D.C. households struggling and considering relocation

A Gallup and Greater Washington Community Foundation poll conducted between February and April 2026 surveyed 2,801 adults in the Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia region. About two-thirds of District of Columbia households say the federal job and grant cuts have directly affected them, the highest proportion in the area. The cuts, implemented by the Trump administration and the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency, have hit higher-income families hardest, with 58% of households earning $90,000 or more reporting hardship versus 48% of lower-income households.

Nonetheless, 14% of lower-income respondents accessed food banks or job-placement services for the first time last year, and roughly one-third worry about paying rent or mortgage. Personal accounts illustrate the strain: former USDA employee Sam Trumbull took public assistance after a deferred resignation, and former USAID worker Amanda Nataro now relies on food stamps and a lower-pay academic job. Rising housing costs and childcare expenses are driving some, such as Nicoletta Barbera and her husband, to consider moving out of the region. Overall optimism about the local job market has declined, with only about half rating job availability as good or excellent, down from 65% in 2023.