While today’s unemployment rates are significantly lower than the COVID-19 pandemic peak of 14.7% experienced in April 2020, the fear of job losses remains as workers stare down an uncertain economic future.
Stacker compiled a list of counties with the highest unemployment rates in Florida using Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
Recommended Videos
Counties are ranked by their preliminary unemployment rate in March 2024, with initial ties broken by the number of unemployed people within that county, though some ties may remain.
County-level unemployment rates are not seasonally adjusted.
Experts have mixed views of a potential recession.
The return of student loan payments, continually high gas prices, persistent inflation, and insurance price escalations are just a few of the factors that could limit consumer spending and potentially prompt another recession.
The last economic recession before the pandemic — the Great Recession of 2007-09 — sent unemployment rates up to 10% as of October 2009, and a full recovery took years.
But as of April 2024, the national unemployment rate remains relatively low at 3.9%—up slightly from the previous month.
Regional and state employment varies widely depending on local economies.
Seasonally adjusted unemployment rates by state demonstrate a rather sizable spectrum, ranging from just 2% in North Dakota to 5.3% in California.
Read on to see the counties with the highest unemployment in Florida.
Roberto Galan // Shutterstock
#50. Baker County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 12,899 people (437 unemployed)
Canva
#49. Okeechobee County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 18,313 people (615 unemployed)
Canva
#48. Santa Rosa County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 90,764 people (3,049 unemployed)
JFFC // Shutterstock
#47. Clay County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 115,520 people (3,966 unemployed)
Canva
#46. Manatee County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 195,951 people (6,751 unemployed)
Creative Couple Media // Shutterstock
#45. Sarasota County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 205,686 people (6,931 unemployed)
Zhukova Valentyna // Shutterstock
#44. Brevard County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 306,273 people (10,381 unemployed)
Nadezda Murmakova // Shutterstock
#43. Lee County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 381,998 people (13,049 unemployed)
Canva
#42. Hillsborough County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 828,380 people (27,956 unemployed)
Roberto Galan // Shutterstock
#41. Union County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,681 people (166 unemployed)
Canva
#40. Duval County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 521,602 people (18,245 unemployed)
Canva
#39. Escambia County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 154,708 people (5,633 unemployed)
Canva
#38. Lake County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 178,646 people (6,415 unemployed)
Canva
#37. Madison County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,990 people (297 unemployed)
Terry Kelly // Shutterstock
#36. Washington County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 10,117 people (379 unemployed)
Canva
#35. Alachua County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 146,097 people (5,412 unemployed)
Canva
#34. Leon County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 165,590 people (6,169 unemployed)
Canva
#33. Volusia County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 274,302 people (10,055 unemployed)
Canva
#32. Calhoun County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,090 people (195 unemployed)
Victoria1988 // Shutterstock
#31. Bradford County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 11,007 people (418 unemployed)
Canva
#30. Columbia County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 30,108 people (1,155 unemployed)
Canva
#29. Indian River County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 70,117 people (2,635 unemployed)
Canva
#28. Charlotte County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 79,513 people (2,992 unemployed)
Canva
#27. Osceola County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 204,997 people (7,737 unemployed)
Canva
#26. Lafayette County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,897 people (113 unemployed)
Susan C. Brown // Shutterstock
#25. Holmes County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,291 people (287 unemployed)
Canva
#24. Suwannee County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 18,236 people (712 unemployed)
Canva
#23. St. Lucie County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 160,754 people (6,302 unemployed)
Canva
#22. Pasco County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 267,408 people (10,346 unemployed)
SevenMaps // Shutterstock
#21. Liberty County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.0%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,715 people (109 unemployed)
Canva
#20. Jefferson County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.0%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,910 people (236 unemployed)
Canva
#19. Gilchrist County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.0%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,580 people (304 unemployed)
Canva
#18. Gadsden County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.0%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 18,786 people (749 unemployed)
Felix Mizioznikov // Shutterstock
#17. Glades County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,250 people (217 unemployed)
Canva
#16. Dixie County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,062 people (246 unemployed)
Canva
#15. Levy County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 17,674 people (716 unemployed)
Canva
#14. Jackson County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 17,707 people (730 unemployed)
Canva
#13. Flagler County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 51,986 people (2,110 unemployed)
Canva
#12. Polk County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 349,164 people (14,351 unemployed)
Canva
#11. Taylor County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,744 people (369 unemployed)
Canva
#10. DeSoto County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 13,453 people (568 unemployed)
Canva
#9. Marion County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 152,432 people (6,333 unemployed)
Canva
#8. Putnam County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 29,392 people (1,294 unemployed)
Canva
#7. Hernando County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 79,501 people (3,544 unemployed)
Jen Wolf // Shutterstock
#6. Hamilton County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,248 people (197 unemployed)
Canva
#5. Highlands County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 37,626 people (1,727 unemployed)
Canva
#4. Sumter County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.7%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 39,383 people (1,840 unemployed)
jenniferlee4828 // Shutterstock
#3. Hardee County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.8%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 9,433 people (449 unemployed)
Studio952 // Shutterstock
#2. Hendry County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.8%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 16,112 people (767 unemployed)
Canva
#1. Citrus County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 50,014 people (2,549 unemployed)
This story features data reporting by Paxtyn Merten and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.