Counties with the highest unemployment in Florida
While today's unemployment rates are significantly lower than the COVID-19 pandemic peak of 14.7% experienced in April 2020, the fear of job losses remains as workers stare down an uncertain economic future.
Stacker compiled a list of counties with the highest unemployment rates in Florida using Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Counties are ranked by their preliminary unemployment rate in February 2024, with initial ties broken by the number of unemployed people within that county, though some ties may remain. County-level unemployment rates are not seasonally adjusted.
Experts are mixed in their views of a potential recession. The return of student loan payments, continually high gas prices, persistent inflation, and insurance price escalations are just a few of the factors that could limit consumer spending and potentially prompt another recession.
The last economic recession before the pandemic—the Great Recession of 2007-09—sent unemployment rates up to 10% as of October 2009, and a full recovery took years.
But as of March 2024, the national unemployment rate remains relatively low at 3.8%—down slightly from the previous month. Regional and state employment varies widely depending on local economies. Seasonally adjusted unemployment rates by state demonstrate a rather sizable spectrum, ranging from just 2% in North Dakota to 5.3% in California.
Read on to see the counties with the highest unemployment in Florida.
#50. Santa Rosa County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 90,434 people (2,928 unemployed)
#49. Hillsborough County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 827,538 people (26,800 unemployed)
#48. Clay County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 115,513 people (3,759 unemployed)
#47. Alachua County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 146,056 people (4,884 unemployed)
#46. Leon County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 165,326 people (5,394 unemployed)
#45. Brevard County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 307,284 people (10,250 unemployed)
#44. Lee County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 382,742 people (12,768 unemployed)
#43. Palm Beach County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 783,252 people (25,461 unemployed)
#42. Franklin County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,833 people (164 unemployed)
#41. Okeechobee County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 18,291 people (615 unemployed)
#40. Manatee County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 195,103 people (6,646 unemployed)
#39. Sarasota County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 204,558 people (6,973 unemployed)
#38. Duval County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 521,817 people (17,867 unemployed)
#37. Escambia County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 154,006 people (5,353 unemployed)
#36. Lake County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 178,248 people (6,277 unemployed)
#35. Calhoun County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,077 people (185 unemployed)
#34. Jefferson County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,906 people (214 unemployed)
#33. Washington County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 10,079 people (362 unemployed)
#32. Bradford County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 10,999 people (399 unemployed)
#31. Osceola County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 204,387 people (7,276 unemployed)
#30. Volusia County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 273,110 people (9,766 unemployed)
#29. Lafayette County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,868 people (107 unemployed)
#28. Columbia County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 30,099 people (1,118 unemployed)
#27. Liberty County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,698 people (102 unemployed)
#26. Holmes County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,259 people (277 unemployed)
#25. Gilchrist County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,602 people (288 unemployed)
#24. Levy County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 17,656 people (678 unemployed)
#23. Suwannee County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 18,218 people (685 unemployed)
#22. Indian River County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 70,158 people (2,686 unemployed)
#21. Pasco County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 267,013 people (10,103 unemployed)
#20. Madison County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,012 people (314 unemployed)
#19. Gadsden County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 18,849 people (728 unemployed)
#18. Charlotte County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 79,346 people (3,061 unemployed)
#17. St. Lucie County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 160,571 people (6,227 unemployed)
#16. Polk County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 347,469 people (13,712 unemployed)
#15. Dixie County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.0%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,078 people (242 unemployed)
#14. DeSoto County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.0%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 13,461 people (545 unemployed)
#13. Jackson County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.0%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 17,619 people (702 unemployed)
#12. Glades County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,222 people (214 unemployed)
#11. Flagler County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 51,858 people (2,121 unemployed)
#10. Marion County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 152,494 people (6,277 unemployed)
#9. Hardee County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 9,387 people (408 unemployed)
#8. Putnam County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 29,243 people (1,256 unemployed)
#7. Hernando County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 79,350 people (3,467 unemployed)
#6. Hamilton County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,227 people (192 unemployed)
#5. Taylor County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,715 people (388 unemployed)
#4. Hendry County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 16,088 people (730 unemployed)
#3. Highlands County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.8%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 37,421 people (1,779 unemployed)
#2. Sumter County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.1%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 1.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 39,395 people (2,012 unemployed)
#1. Citrus County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.2%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 1.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 49,768 people (2,568 unemployed)
This story features data reporting by Paxtyn Merten and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.
