More than half of Montgomery County households say federal job cuts or furloughs hurt them over the past year, according to a regional survey released Thursday, Sept. 24.
The 2026 VoicesDMV Community Insights survey, conducted by Gallup in partnership with the Greater Washington Community Foundation, collected 2,801 mail responses from households across the D.C. region between Feb. 9 and April 6. Montgomery County's 57% figure sits slightly above the regional average of 55%.
The county fared better than some neighbors.
In the District, 66% of households reported harm from federal cuts. In Arlington County and Alexandria, the figure was 62%.
The effects showed up in other ways, too. Thirteen percent of county residents said someone in their household used social services for the first time in the past year. That includes food banks, job placement support and other government or nonprofit programs.
Gallup noted the survey's "negatively impacted" question captures more than job loss itself. Some respondents may have lost clients or business, lost access to federal programs, or felt other indirect effects.
Housing remains the sharpest pressure
Only 12% of county residents rated the availability of affordable housing as excellent or good. That was the lowest-ranked amenity in the survey. About 32% said they worry about paying rent or mortgage.
Regionally, renters carry the heaviest burden. Forty-eight percent of renters reported housing-payment anxiety, compared with 25% of homeowners. Among residents planning to leave the region, 58% cited rising housing costs as a major reason.
Montgomery County's rent stabilization allowance capped increases at 5.2% starting July 1. On the ownership side, Maryland's 2026 reassessment found a 12.6% jump in residential property values for the county properties it reviewed. Higher assessments can raise property tax bills.
Maryland reassesses one-third of properties each year and phases in increases over three years.
Immigration enforcement and public safety
About a third of county residents are foreign-born. Twenty-four percent said increased immigration enforcement hurt their household, matching the 24% regional average. D.C. residents reported a higher rate at 38%.
The VoicesDMV report cautioned that the true impact may run deeper. Residents facing the most risk may avoid responding to surveys. In July, after the survey closed, Montgomery County launched a portal for residents to report and track immigration enforcement activity.
On public safety spending, 81% of county residents said more money and effort should go toward drug addiction, homelessness and mental health. Nineteen percent favored strengthening law enforcement. Both figures matched the region.
'Thriving' despite the strain
Despite the pressures, 52% of county residents rated their lives highly enough to qualify as "thriving" under Gallup's measure. That matched the regional average and topped the 48% national rate.
Across the region, the share of residents rating good-job availability as excellent or good dropped 14 percentage points since 2023, falling from 65% to 51%.
The full VoicesDMV report is available on the Greater Washington Community Foundation's research page.
