Value of shipments by manufacturers in 1997 reached $2.4 billion. Within the District is the Government Printing Office (established by Congress in 1860), which operates one of the largest printing plants in the US. Also in the District is the Washington Post Co., publisher of the newspaper of that name and of Newsweek magazine; the company also owns television stations.
Earnings of persons employed in District of Columbia increased from $38.9 billion in 1997 to $40.6 billion in 1998, an increase of 4.3%. The largest industries in 1998 were services, 41.6% of earnings; federal civilian government, 33.1%; and finance, insurance, and real estate, 5.7%. Of the industries that accounted for at least 5% of earnings in 1998, the slowest growing from 1997 to 1998 was state and local government (5.3% of earnings in 1998), which decreased 3.7%; the fastest was finance, insurance, and real estate, which increased 6.6%.