Delaware’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in November was fell to 5.1 percent from 5.6 percent in October 2020, the Delaware Department of Labor reported.
The department reported 24,400 unemployed Delawareans in November, compared to 19,400 in November 2019.
The nation’s unemployment rate was 6.7 percent in November, down from 6.9 percent in October. In November 2019, the U.S. unemployment rate was 3.5 percent, while Delaware’s rate was 4 percent.
The news was less upbeat when it came to job losses. In November, seasonally adjusted nonfarm employment was 429,300, down from 430,500 in October 2020.
In October 2019, Delaware’s total nonfarm jobs decreased by a 37,600, a decline of 8 percent. Nationally, jobs during that period declined 6 percent.
Unemployment figures have been met with skepticism in some quarters, since the numbers don’t take into account discouraged workers who drop out of the labor force, “gig workers” (Uber, Lyft and freelance workers), and backlogs in processing jobless claims.
Delaware could see higher rates as the effects of Payroll Protection Act forgivable loans and the Covid-19 pandemic intensifies, leading to capacity restrictions on restaurants and more people become reluctant about venturing out.
Below are preliminary November unemployment rates by state from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Rate |
|-----------|-----------| Over-the-year
State | November | November | change
| 2019 | 2020 |
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Alabama ........................| 2.7 | 4.4 | 1.7
Alaska .........................| 6.1 | 8.1 | 2.0
Arizona ........................| 4.5 | 7.8 | 3.3
Arkansas .......................| 3.5 | 6.2 | 2.7
California .....................| 3.9 | 8.2 | 4.3
Colorado .......................| 2.5 | 6.4 | 3.9
Connecticut ....................| 3.8 | 8.2 | 4.4
DELAWARE .......................| 4.0 | 5.1 | 1.1
District of Columbia ...........| 5.3 | 7.5 | 2.2
Florida ........................| 2.8 | 6.4 | 3.6
Georgia ........................| 3.1 | 5.7 | 2.6
Hawaii .........................| 2.6 | 10.1 | 7.5
Idaho ..........................| 2.9 | 4.8 | 1.9
Illinois .......................| 3.7 | 6.9 | 3.2
Indiana ........................| 3.2 | 5.0 | 1.8
Iowa ...........................| 2.8 | 3.6 | .8
Kansas .........................| 3.1 | 5.6 | 2.5
Kentucky .......................| 4.3 | 5.6 | 1.3
Louisiana ......................| 5.2 | 8.3 | 3.1
Maine ..........................| 3.0 | 5.0 | 2.0
Maryland .................... | 3.4 | 6.8 | 3.4
Massachusetts ..................| 2.8 | 6.7 | 3.9
Michigan .......................| 3.9 | 6.9 | 3.0
Minnesota ......................| 3.3 | 4.4 | 1.1
Mississippi ....................| 5.6 | 6.4 | .8
Missouri .......................| 3.4 | 4.4 | 1.0
Montana ........................| 3.5 | 4.9 | 1.4
Nevada .........................| 3.7 | 10.1 | 6.4
New Hampshire ..................| 2.6 | 3.8 | 1.2
New Jersey .....................| 3.7 | 10.2 | 6.5
New Mexico .....................| 4.8 | 7.5 | 2.7
New York .......................| 3.9 | 8.4 | 4.5
North Carolina .................| 3.6 | 6.2 | 2.6
North Dakota ...................| 2.4 | 4.5 | 2.1
Ohio ...........................| 4.1 | 5.7 | 1.6
Oklahoma .......................| 3.4 | 5.9 | 2.5
Oregon .........................| 3.4 | 6.0 | 2.6
Pennsylvania ...................| 4.6 | 6.6 | 2.0
Rhode Island ...................| 3.5 | 7.3 | 3.8
South Carolina .................| 2.4 | 4.4 | 2.0
Tennessee ......................| 3.3 | 5.3 | 2.0
Texas ..........................| 3.5 | 8.1 | 4.6
Utah ...........................| 2.4 | 4.3 | 1.9
Vermont ........................| 2.4 | 3.1 | .7
Virginia .......................| 2.7 | 4.9 | 2.2
Washington .....................| 4.0 | 6.0 | 2.0
West Virginia ..................| 5.1 | 6.2 | 1.1
Wisconsin ......................| 3.5 | 5.0 | 1.5
Wyoming ........................| 3.7 | 5.1 | 1.4
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