Despite a relatively low unemployment rate, the fear of job losses remains amid ongoing economic uncertainty.
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 May 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.
Economists forecast a waning risk of recession and predict that the U.S. may instead be headed for an incremental slowdown in growth known as a “soft landing.”
Still, layoffs among major U.S. employers like Amazon to Tesla have sparked concern among Americans.
What’s more, unemployment has spiked in nearly half the country’s states, which often indicates a looming recession, a chief global economist at Piper Sandler told Business Insider.
And with sky-high prices after a period of record inflation, savings and unemployment payments may not cover basic expenses for jobless Americans for long.
For comparison, the Great Recession of 2007-09 sent unemployment rates up to 10% as of October 2009, and a full recovery took years.
At the height of the COVID-19 recession in April 2020, unemployment hit 14.7%.
Still, as of June 2024, the national unemployment rate remains relatively low at 4.1%, with little change from the previous month.
Regional and state employment range widely depending on local economies.
Seasonally adjusted unemployment rates by state vary, ranging from just 2% in the Dakotas to 5.3% in Washington D.C. Read on to see the counties with the highest unemployment in Florida.
JFFC // Shutterstock
#50. Clay County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.9%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 115,059 people (3,383 unemployed)
Canva
#49. Palm Beach County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.9%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 779,933 people (22,988 unemployed)
Roberto Galan // Shutterstock
#48. Union County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.0%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,648 people (138 unemployed)
Roberto Galan // Shutterstock
#47. Baker County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.0%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 12,856 people (384 unemployed)
Canva
#46. Okeechobee County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.0%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: No change
- Total labor force: 18,265 people (547 unemployed)
You may also like: Best beach towns on the Gulf Coast
Canva
#45. Manatee County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.0%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 193,879 people (5,875 unemployed)
Creative Couple Media // Shutterstock
#44. Sarasota County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.0%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 203,314 people (6,068 unemployed)
Zhukova Valentyna // Shutterstock
#43. Brevard County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.0%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 303,129 people (9,168 unemployed)
Nadezda Murmakova // Shutterstock
#42. Lee County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.0%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: No change
- Total labor force: 376,090 people (11,363 unemployed)
Canva
#41. Hillsborough County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.0%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 819,933 people (24,474 unemployed)
You may also like: States sending the most people to Florida
Canva
#40. Escambia County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 153,287 people (4,804 unemployed)
Canva
#39. Duval County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 519,914 people (15,937 unemployed)
Susan C. Brown // Shutterstock
#38. Holmes County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,234 people (231 unemployed)
Victoria1988 // Shutterstock
#37. Bradford County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 10,873 people (352 unemployed)
Canva
#36. Alachua County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 143,025 people (4,542 unemployed)
You may also like: Best lookout points in Florida
Canva
#35. Leon County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 160,919 people (5,173 unemployed)
Canva
#34. Lake County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 176,786 people (5,603 unemployed)
Canva
#33. Madison County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,888 people (258 unemployed)
Canva
#32. Taylor County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,706 people (287 unemployed)
Terry Kelly // Shutterstock
#31. Washington County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 10,044 people (333 unemployed)
You may also like: Best suburbs to live in Florida
Canva
#30. Osceola County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 202,851 people (6,758 unemployed)
Canva
#29. Volusia County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 271,185 people (8,923 unemployed)
Canva
#28. Jefferson County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,730 people (193 unemployed)
Canva
#27. Jackson County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 17,531 people (589 unemployed)
Canva
#26. Suwannee County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 18,118 people (612 unemployed)
You may also like: Counties with the most bridges in Florida
Canva
#25. Columbia County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 29,701 people (1,006 unemployed)
Canva
#24. Charlotte County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 78,382 people (2,664 unemployed)
Canva
#23. Pasco County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 264,614 people (8,999 unemployed)
Canva
#22. Lafayette County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,847 people (101 unemployed)
Canva
#21. Calhoun County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,131 people (180 unemployed)
You may also like: These 10 car insurers have the highest market share in Florida
Canva
#20. Gilchrist County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,448 people (260 unemployed)
Canva
#19. Indian River County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 69,221 people (2,429 unemployed)
Canva
#18. St. Lucie County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 160,355 people (5,624 unemployed)
SevenMaps // Shutterstock
#17. Liberty County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,673 people (96 unemployed)
Canva
#16. Dixie County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,010 people (216 unemployed)
You may also like: Cities with the most expensive homes in Florida
Canva
#15. Levy County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 17,387 people (623 unemployed)
Canva
#14. Flagler County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 51,383 people (1,840 unemployed)
Canva
#13. Putnam County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: No change
- Total labor force: 29,121 people (1,073 unemployed)
Canva
#12. Marion County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 150,710 people (5,513 unemployed)
Canva
#11. Polk County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 344,472 people (12,652 unemployed)
You may also like: Cities with the fastest-growing home prices in Florida
Felix Mizioznikov // Shutterstock
#10. Glades County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,121 people (193 unemployed)
Canva
#9. DeSoto County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 13,248 people (497 unemployed)
Canva
#8. Gadsden County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 18,290 people (700 unemployed)
Canva
#7. Hernando County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 78,619 people (3,098 unemployed)
Jen Wolf // Shutterstock
#6. Hamilton County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.0%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,220 people (168 unemployed)
You may also like: Counties with the most homes selling under list price in Florida
jenniferlee4828 // Shutterstock
#5. Hardee County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 9,343 people (384 unemployed)
Studio952 // Shutterstock
#4. Hendry County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: No change
- Total labor force: 15,765 people (652 unemployed)
Canva
#3. Highlands County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 37,471 people (1,568 unemployed)
Canva
#2. Sumter County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 39,090 people (1,656 unemployed)
Canva
#1. Citrus County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 49,598 people (2,234 unemployed)
This story features data reporting by Paxtyn Merten and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.
You may also like: Counties in Florida with more precipitation over the past year than average