The Washington economy shows signs of weaning itself from federal dependence

The Washington area’s longtime dependence on federal money has always been something of a blessing and a curse.

It allowed the region to be one of the nation’s few economic bright spots after the financial crisis gutted the national economy in 2009, attracting job seekers to the District in droves and spurring a development boom here. But four years later, hiring ground to a halt as congressional gridlock forced a government shutdown and federal budgets were slashed as part of the sequestration process, even though the recovery was gaining momentum elsewhere.

Today, some area economists say the countercyclical nature of the regional economy is starting to change, as new businesses push the local economy more toward commercial markets and less toward the government.

Read the full article from The Washington Post.