Drew Dixon
Florida’s unemployment rate held steady at 3.7% in June. That’s the third month in a row without any change in the key economic indicator.
FloridaCommerce, the state’s business development bureau, says there were 415,000 Floridians out of work last month in a labor force of 11.19 million. While the jobless figure has been holding steady, June’s rate is still higher than a year ago. The latest figure is up by 0.4 percentage points from June 2024’s figure of 3.3%.
Florida’s unemployment rate is still lower than the national figure of 4.1%, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Florida has now maintained a lower unemployment rate than the national mark for 56 straight months.
While Florida’s rate has not declined for any month this year, Florida Secretary of Commerce J. Alex Kelly pointed out in a news release that Florida was ranked third in CNBC’s 2025 rankings of the best states for business.
“Florida’s strong economy continues to lead the nation,” Kelly said. “Building on this momentum — from targeted infrastructure investments to reducing regulatory burdens and supporting workforce innovation — Florida remains focused on long-term growth that benefits families, entrepreneurs and businesses across the state.”
Miami-Dade County recorded the lowest unemployment rate among large metropolitan areas in Florida last month, at 2.4%. That’s a decrease of 0.3 percentage points from the May rate of 2.7%. It’s down from June 2024’s figure of 2.6%.
Another South Florida locale, Fort Lauderdale, wasn’t so fortunate. The unemployment rate there was 3.7% last month. That’s an increase of 0.4 percentage points over May’s figure of 3.3% and up from the June 2024 rate of 3.4%.
West Palm Beach saw a notable unemployment rate increase as well, coming in at 3.9% last month. That’s up from May’s figure of 3.4% and also up from June 2024’s figure of 3.6%.
The Fort Myers area posted the highest unemployment rate among large metro areas, at 4.4%. That’s a 0.7-percentage-point jump from May’s figure of 3.7% and is up from the June 2024 rate of 3.8%.
Pensacola recorded a 4.3% unemployment rate last month, up from the rate of 3.8% seen the previous month and in June 2024.
Jacksonville recorded one of the highest unemployment rates among large metro areas, at 4.2% in June. That’s an increase of 0.6 percentage points from May’s figure of 3.6% and up over June 2024’s rate of 3.7%.
Orlando saw an increase of 0.5 percentage points from May’s figure of 3.3%, rising to 3.8% in June. That’s also up from the June 2024 rate of 3.5%.
Tampa recorded a 4% unemployment rate last month, up 0.5 percentage points from May’s rate of 3.5% and an increase over June 2024’s rate of 3.6%.
