Gray Rohrer
Florida added 21,200 jobs in April, but the overall unemployment rate remained flat at 2.6%, according to data released by the Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO).
The national rate was at 3.4%, or 0.8 percentage points higher than Florida’s, while the U.S. added 139,000 jobs last month. Over the last year, Florida has seen 363,400 new jobs, a growth rate of 3.9%, or 1.3 percentage points higher than the national rate in that time. Overall, there were 281,000 Floridians out of work last month out of a labor force of more than 10.9 million.
“Through strong economic policy and strategic investments, Florida is outperforming the nation and providing more opportunity for its citizens, resulting in more than 200,000 new business formations this year alone and an unemployment rate near an all-time low,” Gov. Ron DeSantis said in a released statement.
“In Florida, we are combatting negative national economic headwinds by promoting policies that support Florida businesses and families and attract record numbers of tourists every day.”
The education and health care sectors led the job gains over the last 12 months, tacking on 90,600 more positions in that time, or a 6.6% growth rate. The tourism industry in leisure and hospitality was not far behind at 89,200 jobs, a 7.3% growth rate. The only sectors experiencing job losses over the month were construction, which shed 1,600 positions, and trade, transportation and utilities, which lost 11,700 jobs.
It was the fourth consecutive month the construction industry saw job losses. That’s due mainly to higher interest rates, which are driving down demand and therefore interest in new residential housing construction, DEO experts said. The Federal Reserve has hiked the benchmark interest rate to 5%-5.25%, up from nearly 0% at the start of 2022 as it tries to rein in inflation, which spiked last year to levels not seen in 40 years.
The metro areas with the lowest unemployment rates in the state are the Miami/Miami Beach area with a 1.8% rate and the Fort Walton Beach/Crestview/Destin area of the Panhandle with a 2% mark. Homosassa Springs had the highest jobless rate last month at 3.4%, followed by Sebring (3.3%) and The Villages (3.1%).
4 comments
Ed Dot Com 👍
May 19, 2023 at 12:02 pm
Still wages not good enough and far being outpaced by housing and rent prices. Sorry. Look on Craigslist at cities like Denver and Atlanta.. look at wages for just entry level jobs. Then look at Zillow and you will see that housing is also more affordable than here. The employment rate says almost nothing about quality of life and doesn’t speak to what’s really important….economic mobility. It’s just something politicians use as some positive talking point. Compare wages and prices here with the rest of the country and you will see.
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May 19, 2023 at 12:39 pm
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Deadbeat MoRon
May 21, 2023 at 3:20 pm
More “unbelievable “ statistics from the Office Of Imagination and Dreams! Who said Tge Imangineers weren’t in Florida? 0.0% COVID, 0.0% crime, and 0.0% credibility among living humans on Earth. Indica is to clean your house, what did you smoke to make these numbers seem real?
Dont Say FLA
May 22, 2023 at 11:58 am
Everybody in Florida that wants a job has a job. Great. But what about all the doctor, nurse and teacher positions that can’t be filled thanks to Rhonda’s antics? Above reported count says that’s 90,600 positions in just ONE year. Rhonda’s antics are decimating the skilled labor force. People who can flee Florida, they are fleeing Florida. Florida, the New Hampshire that isn’t New Hampshire: Live flee or die.
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