Delaware unemployment up to 9%

Delaware’s unemployment rate jumps nearly half a percent in December compared to November. That puts it closer to the national average of 10%.

Delaware’s unemployment rate jumped to 9% in December compared to 8.6% in November.

Department of Labor numbers show 38,200 Delawareans were collecting unemployment in December, compared to 25,600 a year ago.  The biggest job losses last month happened in the leisure and hospitality sector, and the retail trade sector.  The professional and business services sector actually saw some growth in December compared to November.

Looking back at 2009 as  whole, the state shed nearly 12,000 jobs.  The only job sectors to see gains were Education, Health and Government.  Biggest job losses over the last year happened in manufacturing (down 3,100 jobs), wholesale and retail trade (down 2,600), leisure and hospitality (down 2,500), and construction (down 2,100).

Wilmington remains the state’s highest center of unemployed workers, with a 12.4% unemployment rate in December, compared to 12.1% in November.  Sussex County’s unemployment rate continues to rise.  As of December, 9.8% of Sussex residents are unemployed, compared to 8.7% in November.  Unlike the statewide unemployment numbers, the local area rates are not adjusted for seasonal changes, and could be somewhat skewed.

Nationally, the unemployment rate remained unchanged in December, at 10%.  The New Jersey unemployment rate is over 10%.  The Pennsylvania unemployment rate is 8.9%.  Maryland has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the nation under 8%.