"Washington, D.C. is immune to economic downturns because the federal government continues operations even during recessions."
 

The Washington Metropolitan Area, with a population of 6.2M, has a gross product of $435B making it the sixth-largest metropolitan economy in the United States. 

Between 2009 and 2016, GDP per capita in Washington has consistently ranked on the very top among U.S. states. 

As of 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 Washington Metropolitan Area not only is home to the 3 Branches of the US Government but also serves as a base of operations for several Fortune 500 companies, most recently home to Amazon "HQ 2". 

25% of the employees in Washington, DC are employed by a federal governmental agency.

Many organizations such as law firms, defense contractors, civilian contractors, nonprofit organizations, lobbying firms, trade unions, industry trade groups, and professional associations have their headquarters in or near Washington, D.C., in order to be close to the federal government.

Tourism is Washington's second-largest industry. Approximately 20 million visitors contributed an estimated $5 billion to the local economy.

 

 

The district also hosts nearly 200 foreign embassies and international organizations such as the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Organization of American States, the Inter-American Development Bank, and the Pan American Health Organization. The foreign diplomatic corps in Washington employed about 10,000 people and contributed an estimated $400 million annually to the local economy. 

The district has growing industries not directly related to government, especially in the areas of education, finance, public policy, and scientific research. A number of the largest fortune 500 companies in the country are headquartered in the district. In the 2017 Global Financial Centres Index, Washington was ranked as having the 12th most competitive financial center in the world, and fifth most competitive in the United States.

10 Largest Companies Based in Washington DC

Lockheed Martin (LMT)
Danaher (DHR)
General Dynamics (GD)
Northrop Grumman (NOC)
Marriott International (MAR)
Capital One Financial (COF)
AvalonBay Communities (AVB)
Hilton Worldwide (HLT)
T. Rowe Price (TROW)
Host Hotels & Resorts (HST)

International Companies Based in Washington DC

Airbus Group, Inc.
BAE Systems Customer Solutions
Dynamotive USA
FNH USA
Heckler & Koch Inc.
Intelsat Corporation
Lafarge North America
Lidl
Mitsubishi Nuclear Energy Systems Inc.
Nestlé USA
Gerber Products Company
QinetiQ North America
Rolls-Royce North America
Saab Aerotech of America LLC
Transurban USA Inc
Volkswagen Group of America (Lamborghini)
 

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