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.
Experts are mixed in their views of a potential recession.
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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 September 2023, the national unemployment rate remains relatively low at 3.8% — equal to the previous month, and up about 0.3 percentage points from the same time last year.
Regional and state employment varies widely depending on local economies. Seasonally adjusted unemployment rates by state demonstrate a rather sizable spectrum, ranging from just 1.6% in Maryland to 5.4% in Nevada.
Stacker compiled a list of counties with the highest unemployment rates in Florida using Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
Counties are ranked by their preliminary unemployment rate in September 2023, 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.
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#50. Orange County
- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 835,634 people (24,732 unemployed)
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#49. Broward County
- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1.1 million people (33,791 unemployed)
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#48. Alachua County
- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 150,353 people (4,654 unemployed)
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#47. Duval County
- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 546,428 people (17,168 unemployed)
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#46. Hillsborough County
- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 849,002 people (26,007 unemployed)
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#45. Bradford County
- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 11,605 people (377 unemployed)
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#44. Martin County
- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 79,641 people (2,535 unemployed)
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#43. Escambia County
- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 155,776 people (5,003 unemployed)
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#42. Brevard County
- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 309,922 people (9,942 unemployed)
Nadezda Murmakova // Shutterstock
#41. Lee County
- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 396,651 people (12,823 unemployed)
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#40. Jefferson County
- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,100 people (204 unemployed)
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#39. Lake County
- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 180,785 people (6,025 unemployed)
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#38. Collier County
- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 192,142 people (6,402 unemployed)
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#37. Palm Beach County
- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 791,920 people (25,833 unemployed)
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#36. Liberty County
- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,775 people (93 unemployed)
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#35. Holmes County
- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,443 people (251 unemployed)
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#34. Manatee County
- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 193,333 people (6,547 unemployed)
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#33. Sarasota County
- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 202,981 people (6,808 unemployed)
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#32. Osceola County
- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 208,154 people (7,138 unemployed)
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#31. Volusia County
- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 280,499 people (9,455 unemployed)
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#30. Calhoun County
- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,035 people (174 unemployed)
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#29. Gilchrist County
- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,818 people (275 unemployed)
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#28. Washington County
- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 10,440 people (366 unemployed)
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#27. Okeechobee County
- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 18,400 people (638 unemployed)
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#26. Columbia County
- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 30,816 people (1,079 unemployed)
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#25. Pasco County
- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 273,232 people (9,641 unemployed)
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#24. DeSoto County
- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 14,570 people (518 unemployed)
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#23. Jackson County
- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 17,131 people (630 unemployed)
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#22. Suwannee County
- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 18,369 people (680 unemployed)
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#21. St. Lucie County
- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 163,479 people (6,094 unemployed)
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#20. Lafayette County
- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,967 people (113 unemployed)
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#19. Madison County
- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,346 people (316 unemployed)
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#18. Gadsden County
- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 20,186 people (759 unemployed)
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#17. Charlotte County
- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 79,899 people (3,075 unemployed)
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#16. Polk County
- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 352,679 people (13,417 unemployed)
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#15. Taylor County
- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,448 people (326 unemployed)
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#14. Levy County
- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 18,013 people (705 unemployed)
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#13. Marion County
- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 154,567 people (6,005 unemployed)
Felix Mizioznikov // Shutterstock
#12. Glades County
- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 4%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,428 people (217 unemployed)
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#11. Flagler County
- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 53,462 people (2,126 unemployed)
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#10. Indian River County
- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 4%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 70,039 people (2,834 unemployed)
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#9. Putnam County
- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 28,290 people (1,174 unemployed)
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#8. Hernando County
- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 81,402 people (3,312 unemployed)
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#7. Dixie County
- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,184 people (267 unemployed)
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#6. Hardee County
- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,928 people (409 unemployed)
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#5. Highlands County
- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.7%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 37,074 people (1,755 unemployed)
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#4. Sumter County
- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.8%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 39,932 people (1,927 unemployed)
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#3. Citrus County
- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.8%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 52,811 people (2,512 unemployed)
Jen Wolf // Shutterstock
#2. Hamilton County
- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.1%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 1.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,336 people (221 unemployed)
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#1. Hendry County
- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.6%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.8 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 15,979 people (895 unemployed)
This story features data reporting by Paxtyn Merten and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.
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