Florida Unemployment Rate

Governor Rick Scott announced that Florida’s unemployment rate dropped to 4.3 percent in May, the lowest rate since August 2007. Florida businesses created nearly 22,000 private-sector jobs in May, bringing the total number of new jobs added since December 2010 to 1,377,100. Florida’s annual private-sector job growth rate, which is 3 percent, has exceeded the nation’s rate, which is 1.8 percent, for 62 consecutive months. Governor Scott made the announcement at Dusobox, an Orlando manufacturer that currently employs 78 Floridians and has created nearly 20 new jobs over the past year.
Governor Scott said, “I am proud to announce that Florida’s unemployment rate has dropped to a nearly 10-year low and that nearly 22,000 jobs were created across our state last month. We are competing against other states and nations for new jobs, and I am proud that we were able to establish the $85 million Florida Job Growth Grant Fund during the recent special session. This flexible, transparent economic development program will promote public infrastructure and individual job training in order to encourage more businesses to grow and invest in our state. Florida has had a lot of success, and I appreciate the Florida Legislature for supporting important investments like the Florida Job Growth Grant Fund so we can make Florida the best place for families and job creators to succeed for future generations.”
As of May, Florida’s unemployment rate dropped 6.4 percentage points since December 2010, while the national rate declined by only 5 percentage points in the same time period. In the last year, 367,000 people entered Florida’s labor force, a growth of 3.8 percent, while the national labor force growth is only 0.8 percent.
Cissy Proctor, Executive Director of the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, said, “Since December 2010, more than 1.37 million Floridians have found private-sector employment, meaning job seekers are finding good jobs that provide for their families. Our impressive job growth and business-friendly climate has helped Florida establish itself as a national leader in job creation.”
Other positive economic indicators include:

• Private-sector industries gaining the most jobs over-the-year were:
  • Professional and business services with 52,900 new jobs;
  • Leisure and hospitality with 34,900 new jobs;
  • Education and health services with  34,400 new jobs;
  • Construction with 31,000 new jobs; and
  • Trade, transportation and utilities with 30,900 new jobs.

• Florida job postings showed 255,858 openings in May 2017.
• In May, Florida’s 24 regional workforce boards reported 28,671 Floridians, including 1,551 veterans, were placed in jobs.

To view the May 2017 employment data, click here.