Delaware’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in May was down to 4.2%, compared to 4.3% in April, the Delaware Department of Labor reported.
There were 21,200 unemployed Delawareans in May 2023 compared to 21,500 in May 2022. The US unemployment rate was 3.7% in May 2023, up from 3.4% in April 2023. In May 2022, the US unemployment rate was 3.6%, while Delaware’s rate was 4.3%.
In May 2023, seasonally adjusted nonfarm employment was 485,700, up from 483,700 in April 2023. That is a record number for the state.
Since May 2022, Delaware’s total nonfarm jobs have increased by 14,700, an increase of 3.1%. Nationally, jobs during that period increased by 2.6%. Delaware has typically lagged behind the national job growth rate and also has one of the nation’s higher unemployment rates.
The Delaware jobless rate was at its lowest level since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020.
However, the state has not seen the 3.7% jobless rate reported in February 2020.
The number of employed workers continued to increase despite predictions of a recession, and the labor participation rate also increased by 2,000, the largest gain since December 2020.
The participation rate includes individuals who are looking for work. Discouraged workers who are not seeking employment are not counted in job figures.
