Counties with the highest unemployment in Florida

2024 ended on a high note, with the unemployment rate relatively unchanged at 4.1%, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on Jan. 10.

Unemployment rates were higher in November than the prior year in 308 of 389 metro areas, though they dropped in 60 areas and remained unchanged in 21 areas, the BLS reported.

The lion's share of job growth remained in government, social assistance, and health care, with openings in nursing, residential care facilities, and home health care leading employment in the latter sector.

To get a glimpse of regional variations in employment, Stacker compiled a list of counties with the highest unemployment rates in Florida, using BLS data. Counties are ranked by their preliminary unemployment rate in November 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.

Key takeaways: Biden's economic legacy, inauguration day, and immigration's impact on jobs

The latest BLS report highlights the final job figures under the Biden administration, giving the outgoing president a win during his final weeks in office. President Biden highlighted the creation of 16.6 million jobs during his term in a Jan. 11 statement.

"Although I inherited the worst economic crisis in decades with unemployment above 6% when I took office, we've had the lowest average unemployment rate of any administration in 50 years with unemployment at 4.1% as I leave," he said.

Incoming President-elect Donald Trump will inherit a strong economy, with forecasts tracking ongoing growth into 2025. However, uncertainty remains. Trump's proposed tariffs on foreign goods coupled with a sweeping deportation operation may have a significant impact on the economy, accelerating inflation and tamping down job growth, some experts forecast.

"I worry that immigration will be significantly lower than the long-term average of 1.0 million. I worry that tariffs will be universal and lead to a trade war. That would not be good for the economy and earnings," Hugh Johnson, chairman emeritus at Graypoint, told U.S. News.

What does all this mean for middle-class Americans? The unemployment rate is projected to remain stable, only creeping up to 4.3%, according to the Federal Reserve's latest Summary of Economic Projections. Experts suggest paying down mortgages, revisiting investment strategies, and paying attention to taxes before rates possibly shift as Inauguration Day draws close.

The big story: California wildfires still rage

Although Goldman predicts only a "modest drag" on U.S. jobs due to the devastating California wildfires, the situation is still ongoing. Small businesses destroyed by the fires will impact local jobs; in the wake of the fires, a surge in construction and the need for labor and materials might lead to localized shortages and rising costs, impacting several industries.

However, amid political and environmental uncertainty, it's unclear which way the winds will blow. Americans will have to simply wait for the smoke to clear.

To get a better idea of your community's current economy, read on to see the counties with the highest unemployment in Florida.

#50. Duval County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 517,953 people (18,564 unemployed)

#49. Palm Beach County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 772,513 people (27,803 unemployed)

#48. Hillsborough County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 816,502 people (29,562 unemployed)

#47. Madison County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,931 people (297 unemployed)

#46. Brevard County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 301,603 people (11,107 unemployed)

#45. Lee County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 375,805 people (14,017 unemployed)

#44. Jefferson County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,863 people (220 unemployed)

#43. Baker County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 12,852 people (492 unemployed)

#42. Okeechobee County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 18,145 people (691 unemployed)

#41. Escambia County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 152,564 people (5,811 unemployed)

#40. Lake County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 176,451 people (6,790 unemployed)

#39. Sarasota County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 200,844 people (7,697 unemployed)

#38. Pinellas County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 521,471 people (19,644 unemployed)

#37. Union County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,650 people (182 unemployed)

#36. Alachua County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 145,567 people (5,614 unemployed)

#35. Leon County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 165,333 people (6,470 unemployed)

#34. Bradford County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.0%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 10,858 people (432 unemployed)

#33. Jackson County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.0%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 17,494 people (701 unemployed)

#32. Manatee County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.0%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 192,140 people (7,613 unemployed)

#31. Osceola County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.0%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 202,908 people (8,135 unemployed)

#30. Gilchrist County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,567 people (312 unemployed)

#29. Washington County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 9,967 people (413 unemployed)

#28. St. Lucie County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 159,688 people (6,609 unemployed)

#27. Volusia County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 268,757 people (10,889 unemployed)

#26. Liberty County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,659 people (113 unemployed)

#25. Calhoun County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,990 people (212 unemployed)

#24. Taylor County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,560 people (357 unemployed)

#23. Suwannee County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 18,281 people (770 unemployed)

#22. Columbia County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 30,129 people (1,253 unemployed)

#21. Indian River County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 68,445 people (2,897 unemployed)

#20. Pasco County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 264,140 people (11,212 unemployed)

#19. Gadsden County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 18,717 people (827 unemployed)

#18. Flagler County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 50,962 people (2,224 unemployed)

#17. Marion County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 150,378 people (6,681 unemployed)

#16. Polk County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 344,734 people (15,114 unemployed)

#15. Glades County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,035 people (229 unemployed)

#14. Holmes County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,173 people (321 unemployed)

#13. Levy County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 17,519 people (780 unemployed)

#12. Charlotte County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 77,885 people (3,530 unemployed)

#11. Lafayette County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,784 people (128 unemployed)

#10. DeSoto County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 13,145 people (611 unemployed)

#9. Putnam County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 29,616 people (1,360 unemployed)

#8. Dixie County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.8%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,986 people (286 unemployed)

#7. Hernando County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.9%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 78,447 people (3,842 unemployed)

#6. Hardee County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.0%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 9,294 people (468 unemployed)

#5. Highlands County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.1%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 36,828 people (1,890 unemployed)

#4. Sumter County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.1%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 39,117 people (1,978 unemployed)

#3. Hamilton County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.2%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: No change
- Total labor force: 4,149 people (214 unemployed)

#2. Hendry County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.2%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: No change
- Total labor force: 16,368 people (847 unemployed)

#1. Citrus County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.5%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 48,930 people (2,713 unemployed)

This story features data reporting by Elena Cox, writing by Alizah Salario, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.