Counties with the highest unemployment rate in Florida

Written by:
November 15, 2022
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Counties with the highest unemployment rate in Florida

Unemployment rates, while significantly lower than the alarming pandemic peak of 14.7% experienced in April 2020, remain a subject of concern, notably as economic experts bandy around the idea of a potential recession by 2023. The last economic recession—the Great Recession of 2008-2010—sent rates up to 10% as of October 2009. It was not until the spring of 2019 that unemployment finally went down to the same level it sits at now.

As of October of this year, national unemployment is at 3.7%, 0.2% higher than in September. Seasonally adjusted unemployment rates by state demonstrate a rather sizable spectrum, ranging from just 2.0% in Minnesota, to 4.5% in Illinois and 4.7% in the District of Columbia. Further breakdown by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows yet another county-based spectrum within each state.

To that end, Stacker compiled a list of counties with the highest unemployment rate in Florida using data from the BLS. Counties are ranked by unemployment rate in September 2022.

#50. Brevard County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.5%
--- 1 month change: -0.2%
--- 1 year change: -1.0%
- Total labor force: 303,521 (7,622 unemployed)

#49. Hillsborough County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.5%
--- 1 month change: -0.2%
--- 1 year change: -1.2%
- Total labor force: 814,062 (20,056 unemployed)

#48. Sarasota County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.5%
--- 1 month change: -0.1%
--- 1 year change: -0.9%
- Total labor force: 201,098 (5,033 unemployed)

#47. Broward County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.6%
--- 1 month change: -0.2%
--- 1 year change: -1.6%
- Total labor force: 1,084,533 (27,881 unemployed)

#46. Collier County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.6%
--- 1 month change: -0.2%
--- 1 year change: -0.8%
- Total labor force: 187,814 (4,893 unemployed)

#45. DeSoto County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.6%
--- 1 month change: -0.2%
--- 1 year change: -0.7%
- Total labor force: 15,599 (411 unemployed)

#44. Escambia County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.6%
--- 1 month change: -0.3%
--- 1 year change: -1.3%
- Total labor force: 153,240 (4,056 unemployed)

#43. Gilchrist County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.6%
--- 1 month change: -0.3%
--- 1 year change: -0.6%
- Total labor force: 7,606 (201 unemployed)

#42. Lafayette County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.6%
--- 1 month change: -0.4%
--- 1 year change: -0.9%
- Total labor force: 2,854 (74 unemployed)

#41. Lee County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.6%
--- 1 month change: -0.1%
--- 1 year change: -1.1%
- Total labor force: 372,106 (9,645 unemployed)

#40. Leon County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.6%
--- 1 month change: -0.2%
--- 1 year change: -1.0%
- Total labor force: 163,162 (4,197 unemployed)

#39. Manatee County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.6%
--- 1 month change: -0.1%
--- 1 year change: -0.9%
- Total labor force: 191,773 (4,923 unemployed)

#38. Orange County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.6%
--- 1 month change: -0.3%
--- 1 year change: -1.8%
- Total labor force: 791,912 (20,844 unemployed)

#37. Palm Beach County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.6%
--- 1 month change: -0.3%
--- 1 year change: -1.3%
- Total labor force: 773,178 (20,428 unemployed)

#36. Dixie County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.7%
--- 1 month change: -0.1%
--- 1 year change: -1.1%
- Total labor force: 6,251 (171 unemployed)

#35. Duval County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.7%
--- 1 month change: -0.3%
--- 1 year change: -1.2%
- Total labor force: 522,060 (13,845 unemployed)

#34. Holmes County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.7%
--- 1 month change: -0.1%
--- 1 year change: -0.8%
- Total labor force: 7,233 (192 unemployed)

#33. Lake County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.7%
--- 1 month change: -0.2%
--- 1 year change: -1.3%
- Total labor force: 171,309 (4,667 unemployed)

#32. Bradford County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.8%
--- 1 month change: -0.3%
--- 1 year change: -0.8%
- Total labor force: 11,345 (317 unemployed)

#31. Columbia County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.8%
--- 1 month change: -0.3%
--- 1 year change: -1.2%
- Total labor force: 30,035 (839 unemployed)

#30. Jackson County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.8%
--- 1 month change: -0.2%
--- 1 year change: -1.3%
- Total labor force: 17,448 (495 unemployed)

#29. Jefferson County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.8%
--- 1 month change: -0.5%
--- 1 year change: -1.1%
- Total labor force: 5,928 (164 unemployed)

#28. Okeechobee County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.8%
--- 1 month change: -0.2%
--- 1 year change: -1.0%
- Total labor force: 17,746 (492 unemployed)

#27. Pasco County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.8%
--- 1 month change: -0.1%
--- 1 year change: -1.0%
- Total labor force: 261,544 (7,218 unemployed)

#26. Union County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.8%
--- 1 month change: +0.1%
--- 1 year change: -0.4%
- Total labor force: 4,831 (134 unemployed)

#25. Volusia County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.8%
--- 1 month change: -0.2%
--- 1 year change: -1.2%
- Total labor force: 269,503 (7,509 unemployed)

#24. Washington County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.8%
--- 1 month change: -0.1%
--- 1 year change: -1.1%
- Total labor force: 9,939 (275 unemployed)

#23. Calhoun County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.9%
--- 1 month change: -0.1%
--- 1 year change: -1.2%
- Total labor force: 5,098 (147 unemployed)

#22. Glades County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.9%
--- 1 month change: -0.3%
--- 1 year change: -0.8%
- Total labor force: 5,220 (150 unemployed)

#21. Levy County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.9%
--- 1 month change: -0.3%
--- 1 year change: -1.1%
- Total labor force: 17,555 (501 unemployed)

#20. Liberty County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.9%
--- 1 month change: -0.1%
--- 1 year change: -1.3%
- Total labor force: 2,691 (78 unemployed)

#19. Madison County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.9%
--- 1 month change: -0.1%
--- 1 year change: -1.3%
- Total labor force: 8,158 (237 unemployed)

#18. Suwannee County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.9%
--- 1 month change: -0.2%
--- 1 year change: -1.2%
- Total labor force: 17,832 (521 unemployed)

#17. Charlotte County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.0%
--- 1 month change: -0.1%
--- 1 year change: -1.0%
- Total labor force: 76,737 (2,266 unemployed)

#16. Flagler County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.0%
--- 1 month change: -0.2%
--- 1 year change: -1.0%
- Total labor force: 51,136 (1,531 unemployed)

#15. Taylor County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.0%
--- 1 month change: -0.2%
--- 1 year change: -1.2%
- Total labor force: 8,023 (239 unemployed)

#14. Gadsden County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.1%
--- 1 month change: -0.4%
--- 1 year change: -1.8%
- Total labor force: 21,081 (660 unemployed)

#13. Indian River County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.1%
--- 1 month change: -0.3%
--- 1 year change: -1.2%
- Total labor force: 67,919 (2,130 unemployed)

#12. St. Lucie County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.1%
--- 1 month change: -0.3%
--- 1 year change: -1.2%
- Total labor force: 157,692 (4,836 unemployed)

#11. Hernando County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.2%
--- 1 month change: -0.3%
--- 1 year change: -1.3%
- Total labor force: 77,793 (2,526 unemployed)

#10. Marion County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.2%
--- 1 month change: -0.2%
--- 1 year change: -1.2%
- Total labor force: 146,223 (4,698 unemployed)

#9. Osceola County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.2%
--- 1 month change: -0.4%
--- 1 year change: -2.2%
- Total labor force: 197,370 (6,267 unemployed)

#8. Polk County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.2%
--- 1 month change: -0.3%
--- 1 year change: -1.5%
- Total labor force: 342,927 (10,861 unemployed)

#7. Hardee County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.4%
--- 1 month change: -0.5%
--- 1 year change: -1.1%
- Total labor force: 9,076 (312 unemployed)

#6. Hamilton County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.6%
--- 1 month change: -0.3%
--- 1 year change: -1.8%
- Total labor force: 4,252 (155 unemployed)

#5. Putnam County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.6%
--- 1 month change: -0.4%
--- 1 year change: -1.9%
- Total labor force: 27,982 (1,006 unemployed)

#4. Sumter County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.9%
--- 1 month change: -0.1%
--- 1 year change: -0.9%
- Total labor force: 36,453 (1,436 unemployed)

#3. Citrus County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.0%
--- 1 month change: -0.2%
--- 1 year change: -1.0%
- Total labor force: 47,855 (1,929 unemployed)

#2. Highlands County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.1%
--- 1 month change: -0.3%
--- 1 year change: -1.3%
- Total labor force: 34,412 (1,420 unemployed)

#1. Hendry County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.8%
--- 1 month change: -0.8%
--- 1 year change: -1.5%
- Total labor force: 16,142 (772 unemployed)

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