State: Florida’s unemployment rate is at a 'historic low'

Saying Florida’s unemployment rate is at a “historic low,” the state Department of Economic Opportunity on Friday released jobless figures for November.

The unemployment rate in the CareerSource Central Florida region (Lake, Orange, Osceola, Seminole, and Sumter counties) was 2.6 percent in November 2019, which was 0.1 percentage point lower than the state rate of 2.7 percent. 

This rate was 0.4 of a percentage point lower than the rate of 3.0 percent during the same timeframe last year. The labor force was 1,417,400, up 32,268 (+2.3) over the year. There were 36,468 unemployed residents in the region. 

Here are November’s county unemployment rates:

  • Monroe County: 1.8 percent
  • St. Johns County: 2.2 percent
  • Okaloosa County: 2.3 percent
  • Orange County: 2.4 percent
  • Wakulla County: 2.4 percent
  • Walton County: 2.4 percent
  • Alachua County: 2.5 percent
  • Baker County: 2.5 percent
  • Lafayette County: 2.5 percent
  • Leon County: 2.5 percent
  • Seminole County: 2.5 percent
  • Bradford County: 2.6 percent
  • Broward County: 2.6 percent
  • Clay County: 2.6 percent
  • Franklin County: 2.6 percent
  • Lee County: 2.6 percent
  • Nassau County: 2.6 percent
  • Pinellas County: 2.6 percent
  • Santa Rosa County: 2.6 percent
  • Sarasota County: 2.6 percent
  • Collier County: 2.7 percent
  • Columbia County: 2.7 percent
  • Hillsborough County: 2.7 percent
  • Manatee County: 2.7 percent
  • Martin County: 2.7 percent
  • Miami-Dade County: 2.7 percent
  • Union County: 2.7 percent
  • Bay County: 2.8 percent
  • Brevard County: 2.8 percent
  • Duval County: 2.8 percent
  • Escambia County: 2.8 percent
  • Jefferson County: 2.8 percent
  • Lake County: 2.8 percent
  • Okeechobee County: 2.8 percent
  • Osceola County: 2.8 percent
  • Palm Beach County: 2.8 percent
  • Washington County: 2.8 percent
  • Jackson County: 2.9 percent
  • Suwannee County: 2.9 percent
  • Gilchrist County: 3.0 percent
  • Levy County: 3.0 percent
  • Liberty County: 3.0 percent
  • Taylor County: 3.0 percent
  • Volusia County: 3.0 percent
  • DeSoto County: 3.1 percent
  • Holmes County: 3.1 percent
  • Pasco County: 3.1 percent
  • Calhoun County: 3.2 percent
  • Charlotte County: 3.2 percent
  • Indian River County: 3.2 percent
  • Polk County: 3.2 percent
  • Dixie County: 3.3 percent
  • Flagler County: 3.3 percent
  • Glades County: 3.3 percent
  • Madison County: 3.3 percent
  • Marion County: 3.3 percent
  • Gulf County: 3.4 percent
  • St. Lucie County: 3.4 percent
  • Gadsden County: 3.6 percent
  • Hamilton County: 3.6 percent
  • Hernando County: 3.6 percent
  • Putnam County: 3.7 percent
  • Highlands County: 3.9 percent
  • Citrus County: 4.1 percent
  • Sumer County: 4.1 percent
  • Hardee County: 4.4 percent
  • Hendry County: 5.0 percent
  • STATEWIDE: 2.7 percent

NOTE: The county rates and the 2.7 percent statewide rate are not seasonally adjusted. The statewide seasonally adjusted rate in November was 3.1 percent, which the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity said has been recorded only twice in more than 40 years.

SOURCE: Florida Department of Economic Opportunity