Washington, D.C. – A new survey released Thursday by Gallup and the Greater Washington Community Foundation shows that the federal workforce reductions ordered by the Trump administration and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) have deeply impacted households across the nation’s capital and surrounding Maryland and Virginia suburbs.
Widespread personal hardship
More than 60% of District residents say their household was directly affected by the cuts, the highest share in the region. Even higher‑income families felt the blow: 58% of households earning $90,000 or more reported negative effects, compared with 48% of lower‑income households.
Stories from the survey illustrate the strain. Sam Trumbull, who earned over $130,000 at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, was forced into a deferred resignation and later took part‑time work while putting her mortgage in forbearance. She and her husband survived on $2,000 a month and relied on public assistance to keep basic needs met.
Amanda Nataro, a single mother of two, lost her USAID position when DOGE targeted the agency. She secured a lower‑paying academic job, applied for food stamps and unemployment, and even asked her landlord for a rent reduction. “It’s very humbling,” she said, noting that she now must constantly juggle bills and basic expenses.
Housing and health concerns rise
About one‑third of respondents say they are “very” or “somewhat” worried about paying rent or a mortgage, a slight decline from the pandemic‑era peak but still significant. Renters, Black and Hispanic adults, and lower‑income households express the greatest anxiety.
Roughly 20% of residents reported times in the past year when they could not afford healthcare, and a similar share said they struggled to purchase food. The Capital Area Food Bank’s own survey found that 38% of area residents needed assistance to put food on the table.
Job market outlook dimming
Perceptions of the local job market have slipped sharply. Only about half of DMV residents now rate job availability as “excellent” or “good,” down from 65% in 2023.
Those who remain employed describe lingering trauma from the cuts. Nataro said the loss of a job she loved left her “traumatized,” and many say they have had to “cobble together” income through contract work and side gigs.
Consideration of relocation
Rising living costs and reduced salaries are prompting some to contemplate leaving the region. About 14% of D.C. residents say they are thinking about moving within the next year, citing housing expenses as a primary factor.
Nicoletta Barbera and her husband, former employees of the U.S. Institute of Peace, now earn roughly half of what they did before being let go in 2025. Though they have consulting work, the couple is weighing a move to afford childcare for their three children.
Survey methodology
The VoicesDMV analysis is based on a random‑address mail survey of 2,801 adults conducted Feb. 9–Apr. 6, 2026. The margin of error for the full sample is ±2.6 percentage points.
Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.
