Delaware ranks near the bottom in its jobs recovery from the coronavirus pandemic, according to the WalletHub financial information website.
The First State ranked 46th in decline in unemployment claims from the previous week and 50th for its recovery since the beginning of the pandemic.
States having the slowest recovery tended to be on the East Coast, although New Jersey and New York, the two hardest-hit states, had strong weekly recoveries.
Critics have blamed state-mandated business closings and restrictions for Delaware’s sluggish performance. More recently, the $300 a week added unemployment payment has been the target of criticism.
Delaware’s job performance is not reflected in its unemployment rate, which is slightly above the national average.
| Most Recovered Last Week | Least Recovered Last Week |
| 1. South Carolina | 42. Illinois |
| 2. Kansas | 43. Indiana |
| 3. Vermont | 44. District of Columbia |
| 4. Arkansas | 45. Colorado |
| 5. Michigan | 46. Delaware |
| 6. New Jersey | 47. Virginia |
| 7. Missouri | 48. Georgia |
| 8. South Dakota | 49. Oklahoma |
| 9. Arizona | 50. New Mexico |
| 10. Iowa | 51. Rhode Island |
Twelve states had unemployment claims last week lower than before the pandemic: New Jersey, Vermont, Kansas, South Carolina, Arizona, Arkansas, Michigan, Mississippi, Florida, Missouri, South Dakota, and Iowa.
Since the onset of the pandemic, the state’s economic performance is expected to be an issue during the 2022 elections for some statewide offices and legislative seats.
Click here for the full report.
Below is an interactive map of the job performance of states.
