Delaware’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in January 2020 stayed at 4 percent, unchanged from December 2019.
The Delaware Department of Labor reported 19,400 unemployed Delawareans in January 2020 compared to 17,100 in January 2019.
The US unemployment rate was 3.6 percent in January 2020, up from 3.5 percent in December 2019. In January 2019 the US unemployment rate was 4 percent, while Delaware’s rate was 3.5 percent.
Employment changes by industry group
|
Sector |
Jan. 2020 |
Dec. 2019 |
Over the Month Change |
Over the Year Change Not seasonally adjusted |
|
TOTAL NONAG. EMP. |
468.4 |
465.9 |
2.5 |
4.1 |
|
CONSTRUCTION |
23.1 |
22.5 |
0.6 |
0.0 |
|
MANUFACTURING |
27.1 |
27.0 |
0.1 |
-0.4 |
|
Durable Goods |
9.7 |
9.6 |
0.1 |
-0.2 |
|
Nondurable Goods |
17.4 |
17.4 |
0.0 |
-0.2 |
|
TRADE, TRANSP., & UTIL. |
82.5 |
82.3 |
0.2 |
0.9 |
|
Wholesale Trade |
11.0 |
11.1 |
-0.1 |
0.2 |
|
Retail Trade |
54.0 |
53.6 |
0.4 |
0.8 |
|
Transp. & Utilities |
17.5 |
17.6 |
-0.1 |
-0.1 |
|
INFORMATION |
3.7 |
3.8 |
-0.1 |
-0.2 |
|
FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES |
47.8 |
47.6 |
0.2 |
0.0 |
|
PROF. & BUS. SERVICES |
63.3 |
62.2 |
1.1 |
0.4 |
|
EDUCATION & HEALTH |
81.5 |
81.3 |
0.2 |
1.0 |
|
LEISURE & HOSPITALITY |
53.1 |
53.2 |
-0.1 |
1.0 |
|
OTHER SERVICES |
19.0 |
18.8 |
0.2 |
0.2 |
|
GOVERNMENT |
67.3 |
67.2 |
0.1 |
1.2 |
|
Federal Government |
5.9 |
5.7 |
0.2 |
0.2 |
|
State Government |
33.3 |
33.4 |
-0.1 |
0.3 |
|
Local Government |
28.1 |
28.1 |
0.0 |
0.7 |
The state’s jobless rate has been rising since the summer after falling to a three-decade low.
The report came without the typical commentary on employment trends in Delaware. Jobless figures are slated for a big increase in coming months as businesses shut down or reduce headcounts due to the effects of the coronavirus.
The effects are expected to be profound in the hospitality industry one of the leading drivers of job growth in the past couple of years.
A previous report indicated that the state was seeing a slowdown.
Jobless reports have been getting relatively little attention, even with the rise to 4 percent.
That is expected to change later this year as the effects of coronavirus make their way into figures.
