Delaware’s seasonally adjusted jobless rate in November fell to 5.1%, from 5.3% in October.
The gradual drop in the unemployment rate stands in contrast to the more rapid decline in the national figure.
The state Department of Labor reported 25,200 unemployed Delawareans in November 2021 compared to 27,900 in November 2020. The nation’s unemployment rate was 4.2% in November, down from 4.6% in October. In November 2020, the nation’s unemployment rate was 6.7%, while Delaware’s rate was 5.8%.
In November, seasonally adjusted nonfarm employment was 452,600, up from 451,500 in October. Since November 2020, Delaware’s total nonfarm jobs have increased by 10,800, or 2.4%. Nationally, jobs during that period increased at a 4.1% rate.
As recently as March, Delaware’s unemployment rate was 6.5 percent. Between March and November, the number of employed Delaware residents rose by 7,400, and the number of unemployed decreased by 6,500.
Below are jobless rates by state from the Bureau of Labor statistics. Delaware’s jobless rate ranks 33rd among the 50 states and the District of Columbia. The neighboring states of Maryland, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania also have unemployment rates that are above the national average.
| State | November 2021(P) rate | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Nebraska | 1.8 | 1 |
| Utah | 2.1 | 2 |
| Oklahoma | 2.5 | 3 |
| Idaho | 2.6 | 4 |
| Vermont | 2.6 | 4 |
| New Hampshire | 2.7 | 6 |
| South Dakota | 2.7 | 6 |
| Georgia | 2.8 | 8 |
| Montana | 2.8 | 8 |
| Indiana | 3.0 | 10 |
| Wisconsin | 3.0 | 10 |
| Alabama | 3.1 | 12 |
| North Dakota | 3.2 | 13 |
| Minnesota | 3.3 | 14 |
| Arkansas | 3.4 | 15 |
| Virginia | 3.4 | 15 |
| Missouri | 3.5 | 17 |
| Kansas | 3.6 | 18 |
| Iowa | 3.7 | 19 |
| South Carolina | 3.7 | 19 |
| Wyoming | 3.7 | 19 |
| North Carolina | 3.9 | 22 |
| Tennessee | 4.0 | 23 |
| West Virginia | 4.0 | 23 |
| Kentucky | 4.1 | 25 |
| Oregon | 4.2 | 26 |
| Florida | 4.5 | 27 |
| Arizona | 4.7 | 28 |
| Washington | 4.7 | 28 |
| Maine | 4.8 | 30 |
| Ohio | 4.8 | 30 |
| Mississippi | 5.0 | 32 |
| Colorado | 5.1 | 33 |
| Delaware | 5.1 | 33 |
| Louisiana | 5.1 | 33 |
| Rhode Island | 5.1 | 33 |
| Texas | 5.2 | 37 |
| Maryland | 5.4 | 38 |
| Massachusetts | 5.4 | 38 |
| Illinois | 5.7 | 40 |
| Pennsylvania | 5.7 | 40 |
| Michigan | 5.9 | 42 |
| Alaska | 6.0 | 43 |
| Connecticut | 6.0 | 43 |
| District of Columbia | 6.0 | 43 |
| Hawaii | 6.0 | 43 |
| New Mexico | 6.2 | 47 |
| New Jersey | 6.6 | 48 |
| New York | 6.6 | 48 |
| Nevada | 6.8 | 50 |
| California | 6.9 | 51 |
| Footnotes (P) Preliminary | ||
| Note: Rates shown are a percentage of the labor force. Data refer to place of residence. Estimates for the current month are subject to revision the following month. |
