Delaware's unemployment rate sees slight increase

DOVER — The state’s unemployment rate saw a slight uptick in July, and for the ninth consecutive month, the work force decreased, according to the Department of Labor.

The unemployment number marginally increased — from 4% to 4.1% — but the total labor force dropped from 505,500 to 505,300 individuals.

When considering statistics for the three counties and each of their cities and towns, there was also not much fluctuation compared to earlier months.

In New Castle County, the rate increased from 4.6% to 4.8%. Kent’s rate jumped from 5.5% to 5.7%, while Sussex’s unemployment rate rose from 4% to 4.2%.

With the numbers slightly up, labor officials also reported that there was a year-over-year increase of 1,000 unemployed Delawareans.

Meanwhile, since July 2023, total nonfarm jobs have increased by a net gain of 6,200, or 1.3%, in Delaware. This compares to national statistics, in which those jobs have increased by 1.6%.

The Department of Labor also reported that, in July, the labor force participation rate — which means the percentage of the labor force compared to the population that is work-eligible — was 59.7%.

That figure is the second-lowest level in state history and is only 0.2% above the record low of 59.5%, which occurred just after the onset of the pandemic in April 2020.