NewsNBC 6 South Florida (WTVJ) – Local NewsJuly 17, 2026Pinellas
Florida Unemployment Rate Sees First Monthly Decline Since 2024
Florida's unemployment rate fell to 4.7% in June, marking the first decrease since the end of 2024. While the state added 11,100 jobs last month, the total number of unemployed residents remains higher than it was a year ago.
Read the full story at NBC 6 South Florida (WTVJ) – Local NewsWhy It Matters
The report provides a snapshot of the state's labor market health, detailing job growth and losses across specific industries and regions that impact local workforce availability and economic conditions.
Key Facts
- Florida's unemployment rate for June was 4.7%, down from 4.8% in the previous two months.
- The state added 11,100 new jobs between May and June.
- There are 525,000 Floridians currently qualified as out-of-work, an increase of 107,000 from a year ago.
- The total workforce in Florida is 11.14 million people, an increase of 56,000 over the past year.
- Florida's unemployment rate is 0.5 percentage points higher than the national average of 4.2%.
- Health care and social assistance saw the largest annual growth, adding 32,400 jobs over the year and 5,500 in June.
- Government employment in Florida decreased by 900 jobs in June and 10,500 over the past year, with the federal government accounting for 7,700 of those annual losses.
- Construction jobs dropped by 3,200 over the past year, including a 900-job decline in June.
- The Wildwood region (including The Villages) has the highest unemployment rate in the state at 7.8%.
- The Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach area has the lowest unemployment rate at 3.9%.
- Educational services lost 500 jobs in June but are up 6,600 jobs over the past year.
- Manufacturing added 600 positions in June and is up 400 jobs over the past year.
- Real estate jobs dropped by 1,000 in June and are down 4,200 over the last 12 months.