BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages data give a compatible county comparison for March 2026 employment and first-quarter 2026 average weekly wages. The figures cover jobs at establishments located in each county, not the number of employed residents who live there. The Q1 2026 release is preliminary.
What to keep in view
- New Castle: larger population and a broad metro labor market
- Kent: state-capital, public-sector, logistics and regional connections
- Sussex: agriculture, tourism, services and a rapidly growing population
Jobs and pay by county
| Area | Jobs, March 2026 | Avg. weekly wage, Q1 2026 | Employment change, March 2025–26 |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Castle | 303,264 | $1,826 | −0.4% |
| Kent | 68,769 | $1,180 | Not published for this smaller-county comparison |
| Sussex | 92,540 | $1,127 | +1.2% |
| Delaware | 473,598 | $1,606 | −0.3% |
Source: BLS, County Employment and Wages in Delaware — First Quarter 2026, released September 3, 2026. Values are preliminary. Average weekly wages are for covered employment. BLS provides the over-the-year employment change for the two large counties; it does not publish the comparable rate for Kent in this release. State employment fell 0.3% to 473,598 in March 2026; New Castle fell 0.4%, while Sussex rose 1.2%.
We distinguish a source’s reported observation from our interpretation. Where an update is preliminary, approximate or not comparable across geographies, we say so. This page is an explanatory guide, not an official government notice or professional advice.
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Population and demographic context.
County employment and wage data with published definitions.