Consumer spending growth in Delaware lags behind national average

New figures released by the federal government show Delaware trailing the national average in per-capita consumer spending growth.

A report released Thursday shows that the percentage growth in per-capita spending in Delaware lagged behind the national average in 2011 and 2012, the most recent years included in the study.

But the numbers show average consumer spending growth of 5.2 percent in Delaware from 1998 to 2012, compared to 4.8 percent nationwide.

The study shows Delawareans spent less per capita on gasoline and other energy goods in 2012 than the national average, but more in other categories.