Florida's unemployment rate was 5.0 percent in December, down 0.1 percentage point from November's revised rate of 5.1 percent (reported as 5.0 percent originally).
This is according to the latest unemployment figures from the Florida Department of Economic Development (FDEO).
The U.S. unemployment rate, meanwhile, remained at 5.0 percent, the same as November.
In Madison County, the rate was 5.1 percent, down significantly from November's revised rate of 5.8 percent (reported as 5.5 percent originally); and in Jefferson County, the rate was likewise 5.1 percent, down slightly from November's revised rate of 5.2 percent (reported as 5.1 percent originally).
Statewide, 487,000 Floridians were jobless in December out of a labor force of 9,667,000 -- not counting those who had given up the job search, were underemployed or employed part time.
Florida's seasonally adjusted total nonagricultural employment, meanwhile, was 8,198,800 in December -- an increase of 21,900 jobs over the month, according to the FDEO.
Seasonally adjusted means the numbers are purged of seasonal and other factors that could skew the results. The numbers for the individual counties, however, are not seasonally adjusted.
For Madison County, the 5.1 percent translates into 380 jobless persons in December out of a labor force of 7,442, compared with 435 jobless persons out of a labor force of 7,536 in November, when the rate was 5.8 percent.
All told, 7,062 people were employed in Madison County in December, compared with 7,101 in November.
In December 2014, the comparable figures were 495 jobless persons out of a labor force of 7,778, and 7,083 employed when the unemployment rate was 6.5 percent.
For Jefferson County, the 5.1 percent translates into 280 jobless persons in December out of a labor force of 5,464, compared with 282 jobless persons out of a labor force of 5,462 in November when the rate was 5.2 percent.
All told, 5,184 people were employed in Jefferson County in December, compared with 5,180 in November.
In December 2014, the comparable figures were 322 jobless persons out of a workforce of 5,547 and 5,225 employed when the unemployment rate was 5.8 percent.
Statewide, the industry gaining the most jobs continued to be professional and business services, up 51,100 jobs; followed by education and health services, up 44,700 jobs; leisure and hospitality, up 43,800 jobs; trade, transportation and utilities, up 39,600 jobs; construction, up 28,500 jobs; financial activities, up 13,300 jobs; other services, up 10,900 jobs and manufacturing, up 9,200 jobs. The two major industries that continued to lose jobs over the year were information, down 1,900 jobs and government, down 5,800 jobs.
Monroe County continued to have the state's lowest unemployment rate at 3.2 percent, followed by St. Johns County at 3.5 percent; and Alachua and Wakulla counties at 4.0 percent each.
Hendry County continued to have the state's highest unemployment rate at 7.3 percent, followed by Citrus County at 6.6 percent; Putnam Count at 6.4 percent; and Highlands and Sumter counties at 6.3 percent each.
No county had a double-digit unemployment rate in December, according to the FDEO.