DeSantis Victory: Florida unemployment rate in June drops to 2.8%

Florida’s unemployment rate in June dropped to 2.8% despite national economic challenges including 41-year high inflation. The statewide unemployment rate declined or held steady for 23 consecutive months through June.

Florida’s unemployment rate has consistently been below the national unemployment rate of 3.6%.

“Despite Biden administration policies that have produced record inflation, skyrocketing gas prices, and slowing national GDP, Florida continues to outpace the nation with strong job growth and an increasing labor force,” Gov. Ron DeSantis said. “Florida’s unemployment rate has remained lower than the nation for 19 consecutive months and is now close to a full percentage point lower than the nation as a whole. June’s data demonstrates once again that our freedom first approach is working for Floridians.”

Florida’s seasonally adjusted total nonagricultural employment was 9,344,500 in June, an increase of 30,600 jobs over the month, the state Department of Economic Opportunity reports. Florida gained 453,600 jobs over the year, an increase of 5.1%.

Florida’s private sector employers also have added jobs for 26 consecutive months through June. Total private employment grew by 5.8% over the year, according to state data, faster than the national rate of 4.9%. Florida’s over-the-year private sector job growth rate has also exceeded the national average for 15 consecutive months since April 2021.

All ten major industries reported positive over-the-year job growth in June, the DOE reports. Leisure and hospitality gained the most nonagricultural jobs of nearly 110,000, followed by trade, transportation, utilities by nearly 105,000 new jobs and over 93,000 new Professional Services jobs.

Leisure and Hospitality and Education and Health Services also gained the most jobs over the month.

Nearly all, 23 out of 24 metro areas in Florida had over-the-year job gains. Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall added the most jobs in the state of 84,600. Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford added 83,100 jobs; Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater added 66,700 jobs.

Florida’s total nonagricultural and private sector employment surpassed its February 2020 level in October 2021. Its labor force surpassed its February 2020 level in June 2021, the DOE reports.