Unemployment rates, while significantly lower than the alarming pandemic peak of 14.7% experienced in April 2020, remain a subject of concern, though experts’ views on a potential recession are mixed.
The last economic recession—the Great Recession of 2007-2009—sent rates up to 10% as of October 2009. It was not until the spring of 2019 that unemployment finally went down to the same level it sits at now.
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As of April 2023, national unemployment is at 3.4%, with little change from March. Seasonally adjusted unemployment rates by state demonstrate a rather sizable spectrum, ranging from just 1.9% in South Dakota to 5.4% in Nevada.
Stacker compiled a list of counties with the highest unemployment rates in Florida using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Counties are ranked by their preliminary unemployment rate in March 2023, with initial ties broken by the number of unemployed people within that county, though some ties may remain.
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#50. Hillsborough County
- March unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.5%
--- 1 month change: No change
--- 1 year change: Down 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 831,794 people (20,795 unemployed)
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#49. Broward County
- March unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.5%
--- 1 month change: No change
--- 1 year change: Down 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1.1 million people (27,362 unemployed)
Roberto Galan // Shutterstock
#48. Union County
- March unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.6%
--- 1 month change: No change
--- 1 year change: Down 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,587 people (118 unemployed)
Victoria1988 // Shutterstock
#47. Bradford County
- March unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.6%
--- 1 month change: No change
--- 1 year change: Down 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 11,240 people (296 unemployed)
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#46. Alachua County
- March unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.6%
--- 1 month change: No change
--- 1 year change: Down 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 145,827 people (3,780 unemployed)
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#45. Leon County
- March unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.6%
--- 1 month change: No change
--- 1 year change: Down 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 162,824 people (4,307 unemployed)
Creative Couple Media // Shutterstock
#44. Sarasota County
- March unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.6%
--- 1 month change: No change
--- 1 year change: Down 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 201,665 people (5,335 unemployed)
Zhukova Valentyna // Shutterstock
#43. Brevard County
- March unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.6%
--- 1 month change: No change
--- 1 year change: Down 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 302,106 people (7,972 unemployed)
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#42. Palm Beach County
- March unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.6%
--- 1 month change: No change
--- 1 year change: Down 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 775,033 people (20,370 unemployed)
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#41. Liberty County
- March unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.7%
--- 1 month change: No change
--- 1 year change: Down 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,700 people (74 unemployed)
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#40. Franklin County
- March unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.7%
--- 1 month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1 year change: Down 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,941 people (131 unemployed)
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#39. Jefferson County
- March unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.7%
--- 1 month change: No change
--- 1 year change: Down 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,827 people (155 unemployed)
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#38. Okeechobee County
- March unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.7%
--- 1 month change: No change
--- 1 year change: Down 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 18,041 people (491 unemployed)
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#37. Escambia County
- March unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.7%
--- 1 month change: No change
--- 1 year change: Down 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 152,291 people (4,065 unemployed)
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#36. Manatee County
- March unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.7%
--- 1 month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1 year change: Down 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 192,212 people (5,113 unemployed)
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#35. Duval County
- March unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.7%
--- 1 month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1 year change: Down 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 527,797 people (14,383 unemployed)
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#34. Lafayette County
- March unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.8%
--- 1 month change: No change
--- 1 year change: Down 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,869 people (80 unemployed)
Susan C. Brown // Shutterstock
#33. Holmes County
- March unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.8%
--- 1 month change: No change
--- 1 year change: Down 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,170 people (201 unemployed)
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#32. Gilchrist County
- March unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.8%
--- 1 month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1 year change: Down 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,588 people (209 unemployed)
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#31. Taylor County
- March unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.8%
--- 1 month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1 year change: Down 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,132 people (231 unemployed)
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#30. Washington County
- March unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.8%
--- 1 month change: No change
--- 1 year change: Down 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 10,043 people (281 unemployed)
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#29. Columbia County
- March unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.8%
--- 1 month change: No change
--- 1 year change: Down 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 29,842 people (830 unemployed)
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#28. Lake County
- March unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.8%
--- 1 month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1 year change: Down 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 175,465 people (4,848 unemployed)
Nadezda Murmakova // Shutterstock
#27. Lee County
- March unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.8%
--- 1 month change: No change
--- 1 year change: Down 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 391,023 people (11,028 unemployed)
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#26. Calhoun County
- March unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.9%
--- 1 month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1 year change: Down 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,971 people (146 unemployed)
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#25. Madison County
- March unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.9%
--- 1 month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1 year change: Down 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,940 people (229 unemployed)
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#24. Suwannee County
- March unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.9%
--- 1 month change: No change
--- 1 year change: Down 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 17,912 people (516 unemployed)
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#23. Osceola County
- March unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.9%
--- 1 month change: No change
--- 1 year change: Down 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 201,940 people (5,904 unemployed)
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#22. Pasco County
- March unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.9%
--- 1 month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1 year change: Down 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 266,681 people (7,623 unemployed)
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#21. Volusia County
- March unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.9%
--- 1 month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1 year change: Down 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 274,478 people (7,833 unemployed)
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#20. DeSoto County
- March unemployment rate (preliminary): 3%
--- 1 month change: No change
--- 1 year change: Down 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 14,046 people (428 unemployed)
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#19. Jackson County
- March unemployment rate (preliminary): 3%
--- 1 month change: No change
--- 1 year change: Down 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 16,724 people (502 unemployed)
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#18. Levy County
- March unemployment rate (preliminary): 3%
--- 1 month change: No change
--- 1 year change: Down 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 17,348 people (529 unemployed)
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#17. Indian River County
- March unemployment rate (preliminary): 3%
--- 1 month change: No change
--- 1 year change: Down 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 68,968 people (2,102 unemployed)
Felix Mizioznikov // Shutterstock
#16. Glades County
- March unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
--- 1 month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1 year change: No change
- Total labor force: 5,441 people (169 unemployed)
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#15. Dixie County
- March unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
--- 1 month change: No change
--- 1 year change: Down 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,927 people (182 unemployed)
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#14. St. Lucie County
- March unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
--- 1 month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1 year change: Down 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 159,615 people (4,870 unemployed)
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#13. Polk County
- March unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
--- 1 month change: No change
--- 1 year change: Down 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 346,138 people (10,709 unemployed)
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#12. Flagler County
- March unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1 month change: No change
--- 1 year change: Down 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 52,135 people (1,659 unemployed)
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#11. Charlotte County
- March unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1 month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1 year change: Down 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 78,862 people (2,485 unemployed)
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#10. Marion County
- March unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1 month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1 year change: Down 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 151,640 people (4,810 unemployed)
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#9. Hardee County
- March unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1 month change: No change
--- 1 year change: Down 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,980 people (298 unemployed)
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#8. Gadsden County
- March unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1 month change: No change
--- 1 year change: Down 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 19,418 people (645 unemployed)
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#7. Hernando County
- March unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1 month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1 year change: Down 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 79,365 people (2,628 unemployed)
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#6. Hamilton County
- March unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1 month change: No change
--- 1 year change: Down 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,225 people (150 unemployed)
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#5. Putnam County
- March unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1 month change: No change
--- 1 year change: Down 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 27,937 people (1,010 unemployed)
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#4. Hendry County
- March unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1 month change: No change
--- 1 year change: Down 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 15,667 people (573 unemployed)
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#3. Highlands County
- March unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1 month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1 year change: Down 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 36,878 people (1,384 unemployed)
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#2. Sumter County
- March unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1 month change: No change
--- 1 year change: Down 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 38,827 people (1,462 unemployed)
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#1. Citrus County
- March unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1 month change: No change
--- 1 year change: Down 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 50,664 people (1,920 unemployed)