Flagler unemployment highest in state

By Observer Staff
| 5:00 a.m. January 18, 2013

Palm Coast Observer
News

Flagler County led the state for unemployment in December with a jobless rate of 11.2%, according to the Center for Business Excellence, down from November's rate of 11.6%. The county with the second-highest unemployment rate is Putnam County, with a jobless rate of 10.1%.

Statewide, unemployment was at 7.9% in December, a 0.5 percentage point decline since the same month in 2011. Unemployment throughout the country was at 7.8% for the same month.

Nationwide, 16 metropolitan statistical areas in the country have higher unemployment rates than Palm Coast does, according to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Leisure and hospitality employment grew at a rate of 3.6% in the Palm Coast metro area, compared to the statewide rate of 3.1%.

Housing foreclosures in Flagler County increased in December, with 209 foreclosed properties compared to 164 foreclosured properties during November. December 2011 yielded 272 housing foreclosures in Flagler County.