TALLAHASSEE, Florida – Florida’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 3.5% in January 2025, a 0.1 percentage point increase from December 2024 and 0.3 points higher than January 2024, according to data released today by the Florida Department of Commerce and the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics. Nationally, the unemployment rate was higher at 4.0%.
The state’s labor force stood at 11,188,000, with 390,000 Floridians reported as jobless. Despite the slight rise in unemployment, Florida added 16,500 jobs in January, bringing total nonagricultural employment to 10,018,600—a 0.2% increase over the month and a 1.4% gain of 139,000 jobs compared to a year ago. This growth outpaced the national job increase of 1.3% over the same period.
Jobs Gains and Losses By Industry
Nine of Florida’s ten major industries posted job gains over the year, with education and health services leading the pack by adding 47,800 jobs (+3.2%). Other notable increases included total government (+25,400 jobs, +2.2%), trade, transportation, and utilities (+23,700 jobs, +1.2%), and leisure and hospitality (+13,500 jobs, +1.0%). Construction (+10,700 jobs, +1.7%) and other services (+9,100 jobs, +2.4%) also saw solid growth. The only sector to decline was information, shedding 100 jobs (-0.1%).
Florida’s Regional Job Markets
Across Florida’s counties, unemployment rates varied widely. Miami–Dade County boasted the state’s lowest rate at 2.4%, followed by Monroe County (2.7%) and Wakulla County (3.2%). Conversely, Sumter County recorded the highest rate at 6.9%, with Taylor County (6.5%) and Citrus County (5.8%) also facing elevated unemployment.
Among metropolitan areas, 22 of 25 reported job gains over the year. The Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford MSA led with a robust addition of 32,100 jobs (+2.2%), followed by the Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall MD (+26,200 jobs, +2.0%) and the Tampa MD (+14,900 jobs, +1.4%). However, job losses were noted in the St. Petersburg-Clearwater-Largo MD (-1,500 jobs, -0.3%), Sebastian-Vero Beach MSA (-400 jobs, -0.7%), and Naples-Marco Island MSA (-300 jobs, -0.2%).
