Direct Selling in Delaware
Delaware has 1,059,952 residents in the Census Vintage 2025 estimates. The SBA counts 104,457 small businesses in the state. This page covers Delaware's pyramid scheme law, its economy and labor figures, the University of Delaware, and what Plondo's directory shows for the state.
41.2 percent of GDP from finance and real estate
Finance, insurance, real estate, rental and leasing made up 41.2 percent of Delaware's total GDP. The Delaware Department of Labor reported that share in its annual economic report. No other industry produced a larger share of the state's output.
That figure measures output, not workers. The sources behind this page do not say how many Delawareans hold finance jobs. A reader should not take the GDP share as a head count.
For a direct selling company, the figure describes the economy around its reps. It does not describe the jobs most of those reps hold. The employment picture comes from a different industry.
Hospitals and clinics employ the most
The Delaware Department of Labor names Health Care and Social Assistance as the state's top industry by employment. More Delawareans work in that industry than in any other.
This is the largest single pool of workers in the state. Many of those jobs run on shifts. A company with reps in Delaware should expect some of them to sell around hospital, clinic and care schedules rather than a fixed office day.
Half of Delaware's workers are at small firms
The SBA Office of Advocacy counted 104,457 small businesses in Delaware in its 2024 profile. They made up 98.7 percent of all Delaware businesses.
Those small businesses employed 201,082 people. That was 49.2 percent of Delaware's employees. The rest worked for larger employers.
In a state of 1,059,952 people, that is a dense base of owners and small business staff. Direct selling is itself run as many small independent businesses. In Delaware, a rep starting out joins a field where nearly every business is already a small one.
September 2026: 4.6% unemployed, 40th in the nation
Delaware's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.6% in September 2026, down from 4.7% in August. The Delaware Department of Labor reported the figure. Delaware stayed 40th in the nation in the ranking of lowest unemployment rates.
There were 23,400 unemployed Delawareans in September 2026, down from 26,700 in September 2025. Employers added a net 2,100 jobs over that year, which Delaware Business Times described as less than 1% growth.
The labor force shrank at the same time. It fell to 504,800 in September, a net drop of 500 people in one month. Fewer people out of work, slow job growth and a smaller labor force describe a tight but cautious job market.
The University of Delaware's 19,385 undergraduates
The University of Delaware counted 24,564 students in fall 2025, by headcount. Of those, 19,385 were undergraduates. Its Institutional Research office publishes the figures.
Most of the students attended full time, 21,980 in all, with 2,584 part time. For a direct selling company, that is a large group of young adults in one place, most of them on a full class schedule.
Subchapter VI and House Bill 162
Pyramid or Chain Distribution Schemes (Delaware Consumer Fraud / Prohibited Trade Practices, with House Bill 162 on multilevel distribution companies)[1]
Subchapter VI of Title 6, Chapter 25 deals with pyramid or chain distribution schemes. HB 162 would define multilevel distribution companies and require disclosures to potential purchasers, including a statement that no guarantee of earnings can be made. It also provides for treble damages in addition to other remedies. Whether HB 162 was enacted was not confirmed. This is general information and not legal advice.
This is general information, not legal advice.
Plondo lists no company based in Delaware
As of November 13, 2026, Plondo's directory lists no direct selling company headquartered in Delaware. Reps who live in the state sell for companies based elsewhere.
That matters for the law above. A company with Delaware reps may face Delaware's disclosure rules if HB 162 is in force, even with its head office in another state. Each company should check the current enacted text for itself.
Delaware figures from the SBA, labor reports and UD
- State population, Census Vintage 2025
- 1,059,952[2]
- Small businesses in Delaware (2024 SBA profile)
- 104,457[3]
- Small business employees in Delaware (2024 SBA profile)
- 201,082[3]
- Small businesses as share of Delaware businesses
- 98.7 percent[3]
- Small business employees as share of Delaware employees
- 49.2 percent[3]
- Delaware unemployment rate, September 2026
- 4.6%[4]
- Unemployed Delawareans, September 2026
- 23,400[4]
- Delaware labor force, September 2026
- 504,800[5]
- Net jobs added in Delaware since September 2025
- 2,100[5]
- Delaware rank in unemployment rate, September 2026
- 40th[5]
- Share of Delaware GDP from Finance, Insurance, Real Estate, Rental, and Leasing
- 41.2 percent[6]
- Delaware's top industry by employment
- Health Care and Social Assistance[7]
- University of Delaware total enrollment, fall 2025 (headcount)
- 24,564[8]
- University of Delaware undergraduate headcount, fall 2025
- 19,385[8]
A confidential option for Delaware team leaders
Delaware has no direct selling head office in Plondo's directory, so a team leader here already works for a company based in another state. Plondo's placement service helps that leader compare other companies without alerting the current one. It is free, it is confidential, and the leader pays no placement fee at any point.
Apply confidentiallyBack office needs for a Delaware launch
A company opening in Delaware would recruit where 49.2 percent of employees work for small businesses and health care employs the most people. Its commission engine must pay accurately on part time volume. The back office and replicated sites should work well on a phone between shifts. AI employees can answer rep questions at night, after clinic and office hours.
See Plondo direct selling softwareFrequently asked questions
Does Delaware have a law on pyramid schemes?
Yes. Subchapter VI of Title 6, Chapter 25 of the Delaware Code deals with pyramid or chain distribution schemes. This is general information and not legal advice.
What would House Bill 162 require of multilevel companies?
HB 162 would require disclosures to potential purchasers, including a statement that no guarantee of earnings can be made. It also provides for treble damages. Whether it was enacted was not confirmed, so the current text should be checked.
Who handles consumer complaints about a direct selling company in Delaware?
The Delaware Department of Justice, through the Attorney General's consumer protection work, is the agency named for this law.
Are any direct selling companies headquartered in Delaware?
Plondo's directory lists none as of November 13, 2026. Delaware reps sell for companies based in other states.
What was Delaware's unemployment rate in September 2026?
It was 4.6%, seasonally adjusted, down from 4.7% in August. Delaware ranked 40th in the nation for lowest unemployment. There were 23,400 unemployed Delawareans.
How many students attend the University of Delaware?
The university counted 24,564 students in fall 2025. Of those, 19,385 were undergraduates.
Sources
- Delaware General Assembly, House Bill 162 (153rd General Assembly), An Act to Amend Title 6 Relating to Multilevel Distribution Companies Open source
- U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 population estimates Open source
- SBA Office of Advocacy, 2024 Small Business Profile: Delaware Open source
- Delaware Business Now, Unemployment rate drops to 4.6%; healthcare adds jobs Open source
- Delaware Business Times, Delaware's unemployment rate slips to 4.6% as workforce keeps shrinking Open source
- State of Delaware, Delaware Department of Labor Releases Annual Economic Report Open source
- Delaware Department of Labor, 2022 Occupation and Industry Projections Open source
- University of Delaware Institutional Research, Quick Facts, Fall 2025 Enrollment Statistics Open source