DE unemployment stays at 8.1%
Friday, September 18th, 2009
By: Mark Eichmann
meichmann@whyy.org
The latest numbers on Delaware unemployment show no change in the percentage of residents looking for work.
The unemployment rate for August remained at 8.1%, the same as it was in July. Despite the stagnant rate, the department of labor says an additional 1,200 jobs were lost in August, mainly in the professional and business services and leisure and hospitality sectors. The total number of unemployed Delawareans now stands at 35,100, up nearly 13,000 compared to one year ago.
On a more local level, Wilmington retains the state's highest unemployment rate at 12.8%. Dover's unemployment rate is at 9.3%.
The only bright spot on the unemployment report is for education and health sectors, which have seen an increase of about 1,300 jobs over the past year. It's been particularly rough for workers in professional and business services, which lost 6,000 jobs since last August.
The national unemployment rate stands at 9.1%.
Click here for all the unemployment numbers for Delaware.