Lazaro Aleman
Greene Publishing, Inc.
Florida’s jobless rate remained unchanged at 4.7 percent in September for the fifth consecutive month, while the national rate increased 0.1-percentage point to 5.0 percent.
In Madison County, meanwhile, the September jobless rate remained unchanged at 5.3 percent; and in Jefferson County the September rate was 5.2 percent, a slight decrease from the revised rate of 5.3 percent for August (originally reported as 5.2 percent).
These represent the latest unemployment figures from the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (FDEO).
Statewide, 457,000 Floridians were jobless in September out of a labor force of 9,753,000, not counting persons who had given up the job search, were underemployed, or were employed part time.
Florida’s seasonally adjusted total nonagricultural employment was 8,428,000 in September -an increase of 23,000 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 5.3 percent translates into 404 jobless persons out of a labor force of 7,590, compared with 399 jobless persons out of a labor force of 7,501 in August when the rate was also 5.3 percent. All told, 7,186 people were employed in Madison County in September, compared with 7,102 in August.
In September 2015, the comparable figures were 443 jobless persons out of a labor force of 7,610 and 7,167 employed when the unemployment rate was 5.8 percent.
For Jefferson County, the 5.2 percent translates into 285 jobless persons out of a labor force of 5,513, compared with 282 jobless persons out of a labor force of 5,371 in August when the rate was 5.3 percent. All told, 5,228 people were employed in Jefferson County in September, compared with 5,089 in August.
In September 2015, the comparable figures were 299 jobless persons out of a workforce of 5,478 and 5,179 employed when the unemployment rate was 5.5 percent.
Statewide, the industry gaining the most jobs continued to be professional and business services, up 59,400 jobs; followed by leisure and hospitality, up 49,900 jobs; education and health services, up 49,700 jobs; trade, transportation and utilities, up 35,800 jobs; government, up 23,900 jobs; construction, up 22,800 jobs; financial activities, up 16,500 jobs; manufacturing, up 15,300 jobs; and other services, up 7,300 jobs.
The only industry that continued to lose jobs over the year was information, down 4,300 jobs.
Monroe County continued to have the state’s lowest unemployment rate at 3.2 percent, followed by St. Johns County at 3.7 percent, and Franklin County at 4.0 percent.
Hendry County continued to have the state’s highest unemployment rate at 11.3 percent, followed by Hardee County at 7.3 percent, and Glades County at 7.0 percent.