The Region’s Shrinking Federal Workforce

Federal employment in the Philadelphia metro area grew modestly during President Joe Biden's administration. That began to change in early 2025 when President Donald Trump assumed office, with federal agency payrolls gradually shedding workers over the course of the year before October’s steep drop.

Data represent employment in the Philadelphia Metropolitan Statistical Area which includes Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia Counties in Pennsylvania; Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, and Salem Counties in New Jersey; New Castle County in Delaware; and Cecil County in Maryland. Data are current as of November 2025 and recent months are subject to revision.
Chart: John Duchneskie and Joe Yerardi / StaffSource: Bureau of Labor Statistics - Current Employment Statistics