Tallahassee – Florida’s unemployment rate rose to 3.7% in April. This is the third time this year.
The Florida Department of Commerce released a report Friday showing an estimated 410,000 people lost jobs from their 11.203 million workforce in April. The 3.7% rate rose from 3.6% in February and March.
Prices in January were 3.5%, up from 3.4% in December. It was 3.3% in April 2024.
The number of eligible people unemployed increased 7,000 in April, 46,000 more than in April 2024, the report shows. Meanwhile, the labor force increased by 5,000 in April, and 57,000 from April 2024.
Statewide, the lowest unemployment rate in April fell by 3% to the Miami Fort Lauderdale West Palm Beach Statistics Area, from 3.1% in March. Within the area, the Miami, Miami Beach and Kendall region was 2.7%.
The April rate was 3.3% for Crest Beau Fort Walt Walton Beach – Destin and Orlando Kisim Mee Sanford (from 3.4% in March). Petersburg – Clearwater Region.
This rate was 3.7% in Cape Coral Fort Myers, North Port Bradenton Sarasota, Palm Bay Melborn-Titusville and Pensacola Ferry Pass Brent Metropolitan Statistical Area.
The highest rate in the state was 6.3% in the metropolitan statistical area, including villages and Wildwood. The Homo Sassa Springs area was 5.2%, the Sebring area was 4.8%, the Punta Gorda area was 4.4%, the Ocala area was 4.3%, and the Lakeland Winter Haven and Sebastian-Vero Beach area was 4.2%.
Jimmy Heckman, chief of Labor Force Statistics and Economic Research at the Commerce Department, calls the rise in unemployment a “stable trend.”
“A worrying about me is something that accelerates,” Heckman told reporters Friday. “It’s very stable. It’s still lower than national fees. Unemployment rates of 4% at any time suggest a very good labour market. I don’t think of it as a sign of concern.”
The national unemployment rate in April was 4.2%, up from 3.9% the previous year.
Florida’s April figures were strengthened by a wide range of education and healthcare services employment, an increase of 8,000 from March. The healthcare and social assistance subcategories accounted for 7,700 of that increase.
Employment in the professional and business services position categories increased by 7,400, while the leisure and hospitality categories increased by 3,800. Employment in the accommodation and foodservice subcategories increased by 5,200, with Heckman attributed to “late seasonal recruitment.”
Manufacturing employment was down 2,000.
Original issue: May 16, 2025, 1:50pm
