FloridaCommerce: State unemployment rate climbs for 2 months straight
Image via AP.

unemployment
Florida's unemployment rate is still lower than the national figure

Florida’s general unemployment rate ticked up in February for the second month in a row, coming in at 3.6%, according to FloridaCommerce.

The state saw its first jobless rate increase in about half a year in January, when the rate moved to 3.5% from 3.4%.

“There were 398,000 jobless Floridians out of a labor force of 11,196,000. The U.S. seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.1 percent in February,” FloridaCommerce officials said in a news release.

Manufacturing employment showed notable growth reaching 432,000 jobs in the state, the highest level since 2002.

“When I became governor, we set a goal of increasing the number of manufacturing businesses and jobs in the state of Florida, and I’m happy to report we have succeeded beyond our wildest expectations,” said Gov. Ron DeSantis. “Since 2019, Florida has added almost 50,000 new manufacturing jobs, and over the same period of time, we’ve increased the number of manufacturing businesses in the Sunshine State by more than 30%.”

Florida’s unemployment rate is still lower than the national figure, which came in at 4.1% last month. It’s the 52nd month in a row that Florida’s jobless figure was lower than the rate across America.

Across Florida, Miami-Dade County had the lowest jobless figure in February, with a 2.6% unemployment rate. Miami-Dade was followed closely by Monroe County, coming in at 2.7%.

Those were the only major metropolitan areas in the state that saw a jobless figure below 3%.

Fort Lauderdale had a 3.5% unemployment figure. Orlando’s unemployment rate last month was 3.6%. West Palm Beach had a 3.7% unemployment rate last month.

Tampa and Jacksonville both recorded a 3.8% unemployment rate in February.

Pensacola’s jobless figure registered 4% in February. The Fort Myers-Cape Coral area’s unemployment rate also came in at 4%.

Drew Dixon

Drew Dixon is a journalist of 40 years who has reported in print and broadcast throughout Florida, starting in Ohio in the 1980s. He is also an adjunct professor of philosophy and ethics at three colleges, Jacksonville University, University of North Florida and Florida State College at Jacksonville. You can reach him at [email protected].


One comment

  • PeterH

    March 31, 2025 at 12:59 pm

    These unemployment numbers are remarkably low as they are currently low across much of the USA. Only time will tell if unemployment will remain low. Trump seems to have a fix to keep food prices stable with a $60 billion a year non-repayable bail out for USA farmers. Florida tourism on the other hand is a luxury expenditure for working families and international travelers. We’ll have to see how tourists feel about the upcoming economic instability.

    Reply

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