The U.S. is witnessing a significant decrease in civilian federal jobs as the Department of Government Efficiency, spearheaded by Elon Musk, aggressively minimizes the federal workforce with the backing of President Donald Trump.
This streamlining has introduced turbulence and uncertainty within the nation’s capital, where approximately 20% of the over 2 million civilian federal workers are stationed.
The reductions have repercussions not just in Washington, D.C., but also in other regions where the remaining 80% are based, prompting concerns among congressional representatives for displaced employees in various districts.
The specific locales of the job losses are not entirely documented yet.
However, examining regions with the densest presence of federal employees suggests which areas might bear the greatest impact.
Notably, the District of Columbia leads, comprising 18.5% of the total workforce made up of federal workers.
Neighboring areas, known as the DMV—which includes parts of Virginia and Maryland—follow closely with high concentrations in nine top districts, where percentages range from 18.2% to 8.4%.
Predominantly Democratic-represented, these districts are poised to experience considerable effects from the workforce downsizing.
Maryland’s 5th District, overseen by Democratic Rep. Steny Hoyer, has the highest federal worker ratio at 18.2%.
Even Republican districts are not immune from these cuts.
In Virginia’s 2nd District, under Republican Rep. Jennifer Kiggans, 8.1% of the workforce is in federal jobs, marking the highest concentration among GOP areas.
This district includes Virginia Beach and is anchored by a significant U.S. Navy presence.
Conversely, Oklahoma’s 4th District, represented by GOP Rep. Tom Cole, sees 7.7% of its workforce tied to federal employment, backed by notable military installations like Fort Sill and Tinker Air Force Base.
Similarly, Alabama’s 5th District, with Rep. Dale Strong, comprises 7.6% of its workforce at notable sites such as NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center.
Alaska’s federal employment landscape is also notable; with Republican Rep. Nick Begich at the helm, 6.3% of the population works for the federal government.
Renowned as a “three-legged stool” economy, Alaska relies substantially on government presence alongside the oil and gas sector.
Federal land management offices such as the U.S. Forest and Fish and Wildlife Services contribute significantly to the state’s economy.
In New Mexico, Democratic-represented districts house compelling federal worker counts.
Sandia and Los Alamos National Laboratories serve as pivotal federal research institutions, bolstering New Mexico’s economy where the federal government ranks as the second-largest employer.
Federal workforce percentages range between 6.2% and 6.8% in these districts, highlighted by Rep. Melanie Ann Stansbury and others.
