The job market in Wilmington showed further signs of resilience in March, as the metro area’s unemployment rate fell for the second consecutive month, according to the latest report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Wilmington’s unemployment rate dropped to 3.7% in March, down from 3.8% in February and marking the lowest rate since December 2024.
- The decline came alongside continued growth in the local labor market, with nonfarm payrolls expanding by 1,600 workers. March was the sixth month out of the last seven with positive payroll gains.
Year-Over-Year: Despite the monthly improvement, the region’s jobless rate remains slightly elevated compared to a year ago—up 0.2 percentage points. That mirrors a broader national trend, with unemployment rates rising in 279 of the 387 U.S. metropolitan areas last month.
Bottom Line: The back-to-back declines in Wilmington’s jobless rate suggest continued strength in the region’s employment base, even as national labor markets face headwinds from trade policy uncertainty.
