- April 18, 2024
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Flagler County has the second-highest unemployment in the state, according to information released March 17 by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity.
When the department conducted annual benchmarking survey with the U.S. Department of Labor Statistics in January, the county’s unemployment rate was 9.3 percent. Only Hendry County had a higher unemployment rate, at 9.8 percent, according to the department’s news release.
Hamilton County had an unemployment rate of 9.1 percent, and Madison County and Putnam County both had an unemployment rate of 8.5 percent.
Monroe County had the state’s lowest unemployment rate, at 3.8 percent. St. Johns County had an unemployment rate of 5.1 percent.
The state’s overall unemployment rate was 6.1 percent, a decrease of 1.9 percentage points from its eight percent rate a year ago. The national unemployment rate was seven percent.
The number of non-agricultural jobs in Florida was 7,678,000, an increase of 192,800 jobs — or 2.6 percent — from a year ago. Nationwide, the number of jobs increased 1.7 percent over the course of the year.
In Florida, the industry adding the most jobs was trade, transportation and utilities, which added 47,500 jobs over the course of the year, an increase of 3.1 percent.
Other industries adding jobs in Florida included professional and business services, which added 46,200 jobs for an increase of 4.2 percent; leisure and hospitality, which added 34,900 jobs for an increase of 3.4 percent; construction, which added 32,700 jobs for an increase of 9.2 percent; private education and health services, which added 12,900 jobs for an increase of 1.2 percent; manufacturing, which added 10,100 jobs for an increase of 3.2 percent; financial activities, which added 9,200 jobs for an increase of 1.8 percent; and other services, which added 4,300 jobs for an increase of 1.4 percent.
Industries losing jobs over the course of the year included information, which lost 500 jobs for a decrease of .4 percent, and government, which lost lost 4,500 jobs for a decrease of .4 percent.
All of the state’s 22 metro areas had job gains over the course of the year.
The areas with the largest gains were Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, which gained 36,400 jobs for a 3.5 percent increase; Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, which gained 30,500 jobs for a 2.9 percent increase, and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, which gained 29,400 jobs for a 2.6 percent increase.
Many of the counties with low unemployment rates had comparatively high proportions of government employment, according to the news release.
