Delaware’s unemployment rate drops to 5.4%

By Craig Anderson
Posted 9/17/21

DOVER — The First State’s unemployment rate dropped for the fifth straight month, falling to 5.4% in August.

The positive trend stood out to Tom Dougherty as he analyzed the Delaware …

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Delaware’s unemployment rate drops to 5.4%

Posted

DOVER — The First State’s unemployment rate dropped for the fifth straight month, falling to 5.4% in August.

The positive trend stood out to Tom Dougherty as he analyzed the Delaware Department of Labor’s most recent monthly report, released Friday.

Mr. Dougherty, chief of the Office of Occupation and Labor Market Information, also pointed to the creation of another 800 jobs last month, which followed 4,400 in July and 3,200 in June.

Add it all up and, Mr. Dougherty said, “The economy is improving and we’re still seeing more jobs being created.

“The rate of new job creation has dropped nationally and in Delaware, but we are still seeing a steady improvement.”

So far this year, 10,200 jobs have been created in the state, with the leisure and hospitality sector leading the way, Mr. Dougherty said.

Also, the report said that since August 2020, Delaware’s total nonfarm jobs have increased by a net gain of 15,700, a rise of 3.6%. Nationally, jobs during that period increased 4.4%.

August unemployment rates stood at 6.3% in Kent County, 5.5% in New Castle and 4.3% in Sussex County. The rates in August 2020 were 8.6% in Kent, 7.9% in New Castle and 6.4% in Sussex.

Average weekly wages rose from $934.90 in July to $951.38 in August. The average was $945.95 in August 2020.

The report noted that there were 26,400 unemployed Delawareans in August compared to 38,600 in August 2020.

More information can be found online.

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