Lazaro Aleman
Greene Publishing, Inc.
Florida's seasonally adjusted jobless rate was 4.7 percent in May, down 0.1-percentage point from April's rate of 4.8 percent and the same as the national rate. This is according to the latest figures from the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (FDEO).
The figures show Madison County with a 4.7 unemployment percent in May, down from 5.2 percent in April. For Jefferson County, the unemployment rate was 4.8 percent in May, down from April's revised rate of 4.9 percent (originally reported as 4.8 percent).
Statewide, 457,000 Floridians were jobless in May out of a labor force of 9,773,000 - not counting persons who had given up the job search, were underemployed, or employed part time.
Florida's seasonally adjusted total nonagricultural employment, meanwhile, was 8,312,200 in May - an increase of 24,500 jobs over the month, according to the FDEO.
Seasonally adjusted means the numbers have been 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 4.7 percent translates into 348 jobless persons out of a labor force of 7,397, compared with 381 jobless persons out of a labor force of 7,344 in April when the rate was 5.2 percent. All told, 7,049 people were employed in Madison County in May, compared with 6,963 in April.
In May 2015, the comparable figures were 481 jobless persons out of a labor force of 7,655 and 7,174 employed when the unemployment rate was 6.3 percent.
For Jefferson County, the 4.8 percent translates into 259 jobless persons out of a labor force of 5,394, compared with 264 jobless persons out of a labor force of 5,409 in April, when the rate also was 4.9 percent. All told, 5,135 people were employed in Jefferson County in May, compared with 5,145 in April.
In May 2015, the comparable figures were 321 jobless persons out of a workforce of 5,406 and 5,085 employed when the unemployment rate was 5.9 percent.
Statewide, the industry gaining the most jobs was leisure and hospitality, up 49,300 jobs, followed by education and health services, up 46,200 jobs; professional and business services, up 45,300 jobs; trade, transportation and utilities, up 34,300 jobs; construction, up 29,400 jobs; financial activities, up 18,900 jobs; total government, up 14,900 jobs; manufacturing, up 10,900 jobs; and other services, up 7,900 jobs.
The only major industry that continued to lose jobs over the year was information, down 3,100 jobs.
Monroe County continued to have the state's lowest unemployment rate at 2.9 percent, followed by St. Johns County at 3.2 percent and Lafayette County at 3.4 percent.
Hendry County continued to have the state's highest unemployment rate at 7.0 percent, followed by Sumter County at 6.3 percent and Citrus County at 6.0 percent.