From September 2025 to December 2025, gross job losses from closing and contracting private-sector establishments in Delaware were 22,626, while gross job gains from opening and expanding private-sector establishments were 22,438, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Regional Commissioner Lori Keller noted that the difference between the number of gross job gains and the number of gross job losses yielded a net employment loss of 188 jobs in the private sector during the fourth quarter of 2025. (See table 1.) During the previous quarter, gross job losses exceeded gross job gains by 3,612. (See chart 1.)

The change in the number of jobs over time is the net result of increases and decreases in employment that occur at all private businesses in the economy. Business Employment Dynamics (BED) statistics track these changes in employment at private-sector establishments from the third month of one quarter to the third month of the next. The difference between the number of gross job gains and the number of gross job losses is the net change in employment. (See the Business Employment Dynamics Technical Note.)

Gross job losses

In the fourth quarter of 2025, gross job losses represented 5.5 percent of private-sector employment in both Delaware and the nation. (See chart 2.) Gross job losses are the result of contractions in employment at existing establishments and the loss of jobs at closing establishments. In Delaware, contracting establishments lost 17,725 jobs in the fourth quarter of 2025, a decrease of 1,709 jobs from the prior quarter. Closing establishments lost 4,901 jobs, a decrease of 986 jobs from the previous quarter.

Gross job gains

In the fourth quarter of 2025, gross job gains represented 5.5 percent of private-sector employment in Delaware; nationally, gross job gains accounted for 5.9 percent of private-sector employment. (See chart 3.) Gross job gains are the sum of increases in employment due to expansions at existing establishments and the addition of new jobs at opening establishments. In Delaware, gross job gains at expanding establishments totaled 17,287 in the fourth quarter of 2025, an increase of 1,266 jobs compared to the previous quarter. Opening establishments accounted for 5,151 jobs gained in the fourth quarter of 2025, a decrease of 537 jobs from the previous quarter.

Industries

Gross job losses exceeded gross job gains in 5 of the 8 published industry sectors in Delaware in the fourth quarter of 2025. Professional and business services had the largest over-the-quarter net job decrease, with a loss of 1,984 jobs. This was the result of 5,897 gross job losses and 3,913 gross job gains. The retail trade industry had a net loss of 653 jobs. Education and health services showed a net gain of 1,484 jobs, the largest gain of any sector in the state.

For more information

The BED data series include gross job gains and gross job losses by industry subsector, for the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands, as well as gross job gains and gross job losses at the firm level by employer size class. BED data for the states have been included in table 2 of this release. Additional information is available online at the Business Employment Dynamics homepage and the Business Employment Dynamics Summary.

The Business Employment Dynamics for First Quarter 2026 are scheduled to be released on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. (ET).

Technical Note

The Business Employment Dynamics (BED) data are a product of a federal-state cooperative program known as Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW). The BED data are compiled by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) from existing QCEW records.

More information on formal definitions of the data used in this release, along with coverage, concepts, and methodology, can be found in the Business Employment Dynamics Technical Note.

If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

Table 1. Private-sector gross job gains and losses by industry, Delaware, seasonally adjusted

Category	Gross job gains and losses (3 months ended)					Gross job gains and losses as a percent of employment (3 months ended)
	Dec. 2024	Mar. 2025	June 2025	Sept. 2025	Dec. 2025	Dec. 2024	Mar. 2025	June 2025	Sept. 2025	Dec. 2025
Total private (1)
Gross job gains	24,969	24,351	24,683	21,709	22,438	6.1	5.9	5.9	5.3	5.5
At expanding establishments	17,688	18,289	18,403	16,021	17,287	4.3	4.4	4.4	3.9	4.2
At opening establishments	7,281	6,062	6,280	5,688	5,151	1.8	1.5	1.5	1.4	1.3
Gross job losses	25,605	21,986	25,110	25,321	22,626	6.3	5.3	6.1	6.1	5.5
At contracting establishments	19,190	16,605	18,883	19,434	17,725	4.7	4.0	4.6	4.7	4.3
At closing establishments	6,415	5,381	6,227	5,887	4,901	1.6	1.3	1.5	1.4	1.2
Net employment change (2)	-636	2,365	-427	-3,612	-188	-0.2	0.6	-0.2	-0.8	0.0
Construction
Gross job gains	1,761	1,880	1,603	1,486	1,555	7.2	7.6	6.4	6.1	6.3
At expanding establishments	1,268	1,332	1,202	1,163	1,201	5.2	5.4	4.8	4.8	4.9
At opening establishments	493	548	401	323	354	2.0	2.2	1.6	1.3	1.4
Gross job losses	1,567	1,571	1,609	1,591	1,647	6.5	6.4	6.4	6.5	6.8
At contracting establishments	1,133	1,184	1,252	1,233	1,240	4.7	4.8	5.0	5.0	5.1
At closing establishments	434	387	357	358	407	1.8	1.6	1.4	1.5	1.7
Net employment change (2)	194	309	-6	-105	-92	0.7	1.2	0.0	-0.4	-0.5
Wholesale trade
Gross job gains	981	743	833	660	643	7.7	5.8	6.4	5.1	4.9
At expanding establishments	463	513	506	418	468	3.6	4.0	3.9	3.2	3.6
At opening establishments	518	230	327	242	175	4.1	1.8	2.5	1.9	1.3
Gross job losses	579	805	765	750	620	4.6	6.2	5.8	5.8	4.8
At contracting establishments	444	640	578	600	384	3.5	4.9	4.4	4.6	3.0
At closing establishments	135	165	187	150	236	1.1	1.3	1.4	1.2	1.8
Net employment change (2)	402	-62	68	-90	23	3.1	-0.4	0.6	-0.7	0.1
Retail trade
Gross job gains	2,504	3,197	3,342	2,683	2,460	4.9	6.3	6.5	5.2	4.9
At expanding establishments	2,013	2,662	2,779	2,165	2,054	3.9	5.2	5.4	4.2	4.1
At opening establishments	491	535	563	518	406	1.0	1.1	1.1	1.0	0.8
Gross job losses	3,756	2,434	3,780	3,644	3,113	7.3	4.8	7.3	7.1	6.2
At contracting establishments	3,226	2,032	3,227	2,808	2,789	6.3	4.0	6.2	5.5	5.6
At closing establishments	530	402	553	836	324	1.0	0.8	1.1	1.6	0.6
Net employment change (2)	-1,252	763	-438	-961	-653	-2.4	1.5	-0.8	-1.9	-1.3
Financial activities
Gross job gains	1,948	1,797	1,691	1,230	1,438	3.9	3.6	3.4	2.5	2.9
At expanding establishments	1,094	1,353	1,151	955	1,134	2.2	2.7	2.3	1.9	2.3
At opening establishments	854	444	540	275	304	1.7	0.9	1.1	0.6	0.6
Gross job losses	2,196	1,393	2,260	1,754	1,477	4.4	2.8	4.6	3.6	3.0
At contracting establishments	1,042	1,031	1,463	1,481	1,215	2.1	2.1	3.0	3.0	2.5
At closing establishments	1,154	362	797	273	262	2.3	0.7	1.6	0.6	0.5
Net employment change (2)	-248	404	-569	-524	-39	-0.5	0.8	-1.2	-1.1	-0.1
Professional and business services
Gross job gains	3,903	4,996	5,245	5,105	3,913	6.0	7.8	8.1	7.8	6.1
At expanding establishments	2,448	3,248	3,570	3,645	2,416	3.8	5.1	5.5	5.6	3.8
At opening establishments	1,455	1,748	1,675	1,460	1,497	2.2	2.7	2.6	2.2	2.3
Gross job losses	6,474	3,679	5,011	4,790	5,897	10.0	5.7	7.7	7.4	9.2
At contracting establishments	4,804	2,443	3,641	3,491	4,489	7.4	3.8	5.6	5.4	7.0
At closing establishments	1,670	1,236	1,370	1,299	1,408	2.6	1.9	2.1	2.0	2.2
Net employment change (2)	-2,571	1,317	234	315	-1,984	-4.0	2.1	0.4	0.4	-3.1
Education and health services
Gross job gains	4,530	3,909	4,000	3,168	3,989	5.3	4.5	4.6	3.6	4.5
At expanding establishments	3,408	2,776	3,130	2,285	3,260	4.0	3.2	3.6	2.6	3.7
At opening establishments	1,122	1,133	870	883	729	1.3	1.3	1.0	1.0	0.8
Gross job losses	3,060	3,610	2,895	3,466	2,505	3.5	4.2	3.3	4.0	2.8
At contracting establishments	2,084	2,311	1,914	2,350	1,702	2.4	2.7	2.2	2.7	1.9
At closing establishments	976	1,299	981	1,116	803	1.1	1.5	1.1	1.3	0.9
Net employment change (2)	1,470	299	1,105	-298	1,484	1.8	0.3	1.3	-0.4	1.7
Leisure and hospitality
Gross job gains	5,530	4,636	4,981	4,829	4,819	10.3	8.6	9.3	9.2	9.3
At expanding establishments	3,967	3,760	3,848	3,352	3,744	7.4	7.0	7.2	6.4	7.2
At opening establishments	1,563	876	1,133	1,477	1,075	2.9	1.6	2.1	2.8	2.1
Gross job losses	4,942	5,280	5,158	5,869	4,788	9.2	9.9	9.7	11.2	9.2
At contracting establishments	4,032	4,168	3,978	4,770	3,956	7.5	7.8	7.5	9.1	7.6
At closing establishments	910	1,112	1,180	1,099	832	1.7	2.1	2.2	2.1	1.6
Net employment change (2)	588	-644	-177	-1,040	31	1.1	-1.3	-0.4	-2.0	0.1
Other services (3)
Gross job gains	904	1,019	862	967	688	7.3	8.2	7.0	8.0	5.7
At expanding establishments	644	792	554	737	546	5.2	6.4	4.5	6.1	4.5
At opening establishments	260	227	308	230	142	2.1	1.8	2.5	1.9	1.2
Gross job losses	1,132	963	1,338	875	847	9.2	7.8	10.9	7.2	7.0
At contracting establishments	972	753	1,137	559	580	7.9	6.1	9.3	4.6	4.8
At closing establishments	160	210	201	316	267	1.3	1.7	1.6	2.6	2.2
Net employment change (2)	-228	56	-476	92	-159	-1.9	0.4	-3.9	0.8	-1.3
Footnotes: (1) Includes unclassified sector not shown separately. (2) The net employment change is the difference between total gross job gains and total gross job losses. (3) Except public administration.

Table 2. Private-sector gross job gains and losses as a percent of total employment by state, seasonally adjusted

Category	Gross job gains as a percent of employment (3 months ended)					Gross job losses as a percent of employment (3 months ended)
	Dec. 2024	Mar. 2025	June 2025	Sept. 2025	Dec. 2025	Dec. 2024	Mar. 2025	June 2025	Sept. 2025	Dec. 2025
United States(1)	5.9	5.6	5.7	5.6	5.9	5.7	5.4	6.0	5.7	5.5
Alabama	5.8	5.3	5.5	5.4	6.1	5.3	5.6	5.6	5.5	5.4
Alaska	10.3	10.0	9.9	7.5	11.8	9.5	8.1	10.3	10.0	9.3
Arizona	6.1	5.8	5.3	5.8	5.7	5.9	5.3	6.3	5.5	5.4
Arkansas	5.8	5.1	5.1	5.3	6.0	4.8	5.1	5.5	5.3	5.0
California	6.7	6.0	6.6	6.2	6.8	6.4	6.2	6.7	6.0	6.1
Colorado	6.2	6.2	6.4	6.5	6.2	6.5	6.8	7.1	6.5	6.4
Connecticut	5.5	5.6	5.8	5.3	5.5	5.5	5.3	5.8	5.9	5.5
Delaware	6.1	5.9	5.9	5.3	5.5	6.3	5.3	6.1	6.1	5.5
District of Columbia	5.0	4.8	5.7	4.6	5.2	5.5	5.8	5.9	5.9	5.0
Florida	6.0	5.8	5.7	5.9	5.9	6.2	5.5	5.8	6.0	5.7
Georgia	6.0	5.5	5.5	5.7	5.9	5.4	5.7	5.6	5.8	5.5
Hawaii	5.3	4.9	4.8	5.1	5.0	5.0	5.0	5.2	4.8	4.7
Idaho	8.2	7.3	7.7	6.7	8.1	6.8	7.3	7.2	7.6	6.3
Illinois	5.1	5.0	5.2	4.7	5.3	5.1	5.0	5.2	5.0	5.3
Indiana	5.5	5.4	5.0	5.1	5.5	5.1	5.2	5.6	5.1	5.1
Iowa	5.6	5.8	5.6	4.8	6.3	5.6	5.5	5.8	5.9	5.4
Kansas	5.9	5.5	5.4	5.8	5.7	5.2	5.4	6.3	5.8	5.3
Kentucky	5.3	5.2	5.0	5.3	5.2	5.5	4.8	5.4	5.6	5.0
Louisiana	6.2	5.6	5.5	5.9	6.0	5.5	5.6	6.3	6.0	5.9
Maine	7.0	7.4	7.2	6.2	6.8	7.1	6.3	7.4	7.0	7.0
Maryland	6.0	5.9	5.7	5.7	6.0	5.9	5.7	6.2	6.5	5.6
Massachusetts	5.3	5.0	5.5	5.3	5.4	5.5	5.1	5.8	5.9	5.6
Michigan	5.4	5.2	5.8	4.9	5.6	5.9	5.3	5.5	5.9	5.3
Minnesota	5.5	5.1	5.8	5.3	5.6	5.1	5.5	5.5	5.6	5.5
Mississippi	6.3	5.7	6.3	6.4	6.4	6.2	6.1	6.5	6.1	5.8
Missouri	5.7	5.4	5.5	5.6	6.1	5.3	5.2	6.1	5.9	5.5
Montana	8.4	8.0	7.7	7.0	8.4	7.8	7.5	8.3	7.9	7.4
Nebraska	5.6	5.2	5.4	5.5	5.7	5.5	5.3	5.5	5.8	5.2
Nevada	6.1	5.4	6.2	6.9	6.2	5.6	5.9	6.3	5.2	5.4
New Hampshire	6.3	6.5	6.3	5.6	6.2	5.9	6.1	6.7	6.8	5.7
New Jersey	6.0	5.6	5.8	5.3	5.7	5.5	5.4	5.5	5.8	5.3
New Mexico	6.1	5.9	5.9	5.8	6.1	5.9	5.8	6.0	6.2	6.0
New York	5.7	6.6	5.9	5.9	5.6	5.5	5.0	7.0	5.8	5.6
North Carolina	6.1	5.4	5.6	5.4	6.0	5.5	5.5	5.4	5.7	5.1
North Dakota	6.5	6.7	6.4	6.2	6.9	6.6	6.5	6.7	6.6	6.4
Ohio	5.4	5.2	5.3	5.1	5.3	5.1	4.9	5.4	5.3	5.0
Oklahoma	6.0	5.5	5.5	6.0	6.2	5.5	5.3	6.2	6.4	5.1
Oregon	6.2	5.8	6.4	5.7	6.0	6.6	6.2	6.5	6.7	6.0
Pennsylvania	5.2	5.0	4.9	5.0	5.1	4.8	4.7	5.2	5.2	4.7
Rhode Island	7.3	6.6	6.3	6.0	6.6	6.3	5.9	6.7	6.7	6.2
South Carolina	6.4	6.1	5.8	6.3	6.7	5.9	5.5	6.6	6.5	5.5
South Dakota	6.7	6.2	6.0	5.9	6.0	5.9	6.5	6.1	6.0	5.6
Tennessee	5.5	5.4	5.1	5.7	6.2	6.2	5.1	5.9	5.2	5.2
Texas	5.8	5.1	5.2	5.3	5.6	5.2	5.1	5.4	5.3	4.9
Utah	6.8	6.6	6.6	6.7	6.5	6.3	6.0	6.6	6.4	6.1
Vermont	6.7	6.9	6.9	6.6	6.9	6.7	6.8	7.5	7.8	7.0
Virginia	5.8	5.6	5.8	5.9	5.8	5.5	5.1	5.8	6.1	5.1
Washington	5.8	5.7	6.0	5.2	5.6	5.7	5.5	5.4	5.6	5.3
West Virginia	6.5	6.4	5.5	5.8	5.9	6.1	5.7	6.3	6.0	6.0
Wisconsin	5.3	5.0	5.3	4.9	5.6	5.2	4.9	5.5	5.6	5.1
Wyoming	8.9	8.1	8.3	7.7	9.0	8.3	8.7	8.9	8.4	8.0
Puerto Rico	4.3	6.3	7.0	5.4	4.4	5.4	5.4	6.1	5.7	5.2
Virgin Islands	5.2	5.4	15.0	7.1	9.1	10.8	7.6	9.5	8.4	7.2
Footnotes (1) Totals for the United States do not include data for Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands.