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News Release Information

24-1228-PHI
Monday, June 24, 2024

Contacts Technical information: Media contact:

County Employment and Wages in Delaware — Fourth Quarter 2023

Employment rose in Delaware’s two large counties from December 2022 to December 2023, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. (Large counties are those with annual average employment levels of 75,000 or more in 2022.) Regional Commissioner Alexandra Hall-Bovee noted that Sussex County had the larger over-the-year increase in employment at 3.3 percent. Employment also increased in New Castle County by 1.8 percent. (See chart 1 and table 1.)

National employment increased 1.5 percent over the year, with 318 of the 360 largest U.S. counties reporting gains. Hays, TX, had the largest increase in employment (+5.0 percent). Elkhart, IN, had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease in employment (-6.9 percent).

Between the two large counties in Delaware, employment was higher in New Castle County (304,400) in December 2023. Within New Castle County’s private industry, health care and social assistance accounted for the largest employment.  Together, the two large Delaware counties accounted for 83.2 percent of total employment within the state. Nationwide, the 360 largest counties made up 73.0 percent of total U.S. employment.

Employment and wage levels (but not over-the-year changes) are also available for Kent County, the one county in Delaware with employment below 75,000. Kent County had an average weekly wage of $1,118, below the national average of $1,435 in the fourth quarter of 2023. (See table 2.)

Large county wage changes

The two large Delaware counties reported average weekly wage gains from the fourth quarter of 2022 to the fourth quarter of 2023. (See chart 2.) Sussex County wages increased 2.0 percent, and New Castle County wages increased 1.9 percent.

Nationwide, wages increased by 3.6 percent over the year. Among the 360 largest counties in the United States, 348 had over-the-year wage increases. Snohomish, WA, had the largest percentage wage increase (+18.6 percent). Merrimack, NH, had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease (-7.2 percent).

Large county average weekly wages

Weekly wages in New Castle County ($1,505) were above the national average of $1,435 in the fourth quarter of 2023. New Castle ranked 68th among the 360 largest counties. Average weekly wages in Sussex County ($1,081) ranked 324th in the nation. (See map 1.)

Among the largest U.S. counties, 85 reported average weekly wages at or above the U.S. average in the fourth quarter of 2023. Santa Clara, CA, had the highest average weekly wage ($3,699). Average weekly wages were below the national average in the remaining 275 counties. Hidalgo, TX, had the lowest average weekly wage ($842).

Map 1. Average weekly wages by county in Delaware, fourth quarter 2023

(U.S. Average = $1,435)

Additional statistics and other information

QCEW data for states have been included in this release in table 3. For additional information about quarterly employment and wages data, please read the Technical Note for the County Employment and Wages News Release or visit the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages website.

Employment and Wages Annual Averages Online features comprehensive information by detailed industry on establishments, employment, and wages for the nation and all states. This publication is typically published in September of the following year of the reference period or shortly after the QCEW first quarter full data update.

Information in this release will be made available to individuals with sensory impairments upon request. Voice phone: (202) 691-5200; Telecommunications Relay Service: 7-1-1.

The County Employment and Wages release for the first quarter 2024 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, August 21, 2024. The County Employment and Wages full data update for the first quarter 2024 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, September 4, 2024.

Table 1. Covered establishments, employment, and wages in the United States and the two largest counties in Delaware, fourth quarter 2023
Area Establishments,
fourth quarter
(thousands)
Employment Average weekly wage (1)
December 2023
(thousands)
Percent change,
December
2022–23 (2)
National ranking
by percent change (3)
Fourth quarter
2023 ($)
National ranking
by level (3)
Percent change,
fourth quarter
2022–23 (2)
National ranking
by percent change (3)

United States (4)

12,090.1 154,848.1 1.5 -- 1,435 -- 3.6 --

Delaware

43.2 472.9 1.3 -- 1,373 15 2.2 47

New Castle

26.3 304.4 1.8 122 1,505 68 1.9 306

Sussex

10.3 89.3 3.3 19 1,075 324 2.0 302

Footnotes:
(1) Average weekly wages were calculated using unrounded data.
(2) Percent changes were computed from employment and pay data adjusted for noneconomic county reclassifications.
(3) Ranking does not include data for Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands.
(4) Totals for the United States do not include data for Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands.

Note: Data are preliminary. Covered employment and wages includes workers covered by Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) programs.

Table 2. Covered establishments, employment, and wages in the United States and all counties in Delaware, fourth quarter 2023
Area Establishments Employment December 2023 Average weekly wage ($) (1)

United States (2)

12,090,132 154,848,113 1,435

Delaware

43,153 472,857 1,373

Kent

5,503 71,064 1,118

New Castle

26,270 304,383 1,505

Sussex

10,328 89,250 1,075

Footnotes:
(1) Average weekly wages were calculated using unrounded data.
(2) Totals for the United States do not include data for Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands.

Note: Data are preliminary. Covered employment and wages includes workers covered by Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) programs.

Table 3. Covered establishments, employment, and wages by state, fourth quarter 2023
State Establishments,
fourth quarter
(thousands)
Employment Average weekly wage (1)
December 2023
(thousands)
Percent change,
December
2022–23
Fourth quarter
2023 ($)
National ranking
by level
Percent change,
fourth quarter
2022–23
National ranking
by percent change

United States (2)

12,090.1 154,848.1 1.5 1,435 -- 3.6 --

Alabama

159.1 2,101.1 2.0 1,207 35 4.2 15

Alaska

25.2 311.6 2.4 1,372 16 5.5 2

Arizona

226.4 3,231.4 2.2 1,322 21 3.8 21

Arkansas

103.2 1,294.0 1.4 1,089 50 2.1 49

California

1,792.2 18,111.4 0.2 1,759 4 4.8 9

Colorado

263.2 2,930.1 2.5 1,516 9 3.0 38

Connecticut

151.0 1,690.0 1.3 1,632 6 2.4 46

Delaware

43.2 472.9 1.3 1,373 15 2.2 47

District of Columbia

52.6 759.9 0.7 2,385 1 4.1 16

Florida

904.4 9,870.1 2.5 1,328 20 3.4 32

Georgia

391.7 4,866.4 1.3 1,331 19 3.5 30

Hawaii

58.3 643.3 0.8 1,288 24 5.0 7

Idaho

96.3 854.9 3.5 1,137 46 1.9 50

Illinois

410.6 6,051.9 0.8 1,479 12 3.4 32

Indiana

191.4 3,187.1 0.9 1,171 41 3.6 26

Iowa

110.7 1,564.0 1.0 1,199 36 4.0 18

Kansas

100.1 1,431.8 1.1 1,167 42 3.7 25

Kentucky

154.0 2,004.4 1.8 1,146 45 4.1 16

Louisiana

154.2 1,905.4 0.8 1,193 37 5.3 5

Maine

64.8 636.8 1.4 1,209 34 3.8 21

Maryland

193.8 2,730.4 2.3 1,509 10 3.1 36

Massachusetts

292.9 3,655.4 0.8 1,805 2 0.7 51

Michigan

330.9 4,407.8 1.2 1,316 22 3.3 34

Minnesota

209.2 2,909.9 1.2 1,400 14 3.1 36

Mississippi

89.1 1,170.9 0.7 983 51 3.8 21

Missouri

253.9 2,906.3 1.6 1,222 33 4.3 14

Montana

68.2 510.0 1.8 1,178 40 5.4 3

Nebraska

76.8 1,018.5 2.0 1,187 39 2.9 40

Nevada

108.5 1,556.7 3.6 1,271 28 2.2 47

New Hampshire

67.1 689.2 1.4 1,527 8 2.8 41

New Jersey

333.8 4,293.1 1.3 1,574 7 2.6 44

New Mexico

68.6 868.3 2.3 1,165 43 4.9 8

New York

699.7 9,627.1 1.7 1,783 3 2.8 41

North Carolina

383.8 4,917.9 2.5 1,280 27 3.6 26

North Dakota

36.1 427.0 2.7 1,267 29 5.2 6

Ohio

333.9 5,514.5 1.1 1,245 31 3.6 26

Oklahoma

132.6 1,697.1 1.9 1,123 49 4.7 11

Oregon

206.1 1,985.5 1.0 1,338 18 2.8 41

Pennsylvania

392.4 6,023.4 1.2 1,360 17 3.0 38

Rhode Island

48.3 492.3 1.3 1,302 23 3.3 34

South Carolina

180.8 2,278.0 2.6 1,153 44 3.8 21

South Dakota

40.0 456.0 2.5 1,136 47 3.6 26

Tennessee

225.9 3,276.9 1.6 1,285 25 2.5 45

Texas

835.1 13,905.4 2.3 1,427 13 4.0 18

Utah

139.0 1,713.5 2.1 1,285 25 4.5 13

Vermont

32.6 310.3 1.5 1,250 30 3.5 30

Virginia

316.7 4,089.8 1.7 1,482 11 4.7 11

Washington

243.0 3,590.9 1.6 1,742 5 6.7 1

West Virginia

59.9 693.5 1.2 1,126 48 5.4 3

Wisconsin

208.0 2,936.6 1.0 1,233 32 3.9 20

Wyoming

30.8 277.4 1.5 1,191 38 4.8 9

Puerto Rico

54.4 975.7 0.0 688 (3) 3.3 (3)

Virgin Islands

3.8 36.2 1.6 1,024 (3) 0.7 (3)

Footnotes:
(1) Average weekly wages were calculated using unrounded data.
(2) Totals for the United States do not include data for Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands.
(3) Data not included in the national ranking.

Note: Data are preliminary. Covered employment and wages includes workers covered by Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) programs.

 

Last Modified Date: Monday, June 24, 2024