Staff Reports
At 2.6%, Florida’s unemployment rate was lower than the national average in January for the 27th consecutive month, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced.
Economic data from January also shows Florida’s job growth outperformed the nation for the 22nd consecutive month.
The state’s private sector employment grew 5.3% over the year, 1.7 percentage points higher than the 3.6% national rate over the same period. Private sector employment increased by nearly 30,000 jobs over January, a 0.3-percentage-point increase.
“Florida is No. 1 in net migration, tourism and new business formations because we have bucked the elites and forged our own path forward towards success,” DeSantis said. “We will continue to prioritize policies that support Florida families as they continue to face persistent inflation and national economic headwinds.”
Florida’s unemployment rate ticked down a tenth of a percentage point in January, from 2.7%, while the state’s labor force grew by 259,000 from one year ago, a 2.4% increase. That’s more than a full percentage point higher than national growth, which was 1.3% over the same period.
“Thanks to Gov. DeSantis’ commitment to Florida’s future, Floridians can trust in Florida’s workforce, businesses and communities for years to come,” said Florida Department of Economic Opportunity Acting Secretary Meredith Ivey. “Florida’s unemployment rate is consistently below the national average and the private sector continues to generate jobs, creating nearly 30,000 jobs over the month in January 2023.”
The leisure and hospitality industry gained the most jobs in the state, with 1.2% growth, or 16,100 new jobs over the month. Education and health services followed with 4,900 new jobs, 0.3% growth over the month.
Financial activities also added 4,900 jobs, a 0.7% growth, while other services added 3,200 jobs, a 0.9% growth.
More than 391,000 jobs were posted online, January data shows, indicating an abundance of job opportunities in the state.
Floridians in search of work and new job opportunities are encouraged to turn to the CareerSource Florida network for help. Floridians can find guidance on how to register with Employ Florida and search listings of available local job openings, the Governor’s Office said.
The Governor’s Office also recommended that Florida job seekers perfect their resume writing and interview skills, establish career goals and pursue customized career training, services provided through state agencies at no cost.
