Florida experienced a decline in private sector employment in October due to Hurricanes Helene and Milton, but the state’s unemployment rate remained at 3.3 percent for the seventh straight month.
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The Commerce Department estimated Friday that 369,000 Floridians were classified as unemployed in October, an increase of 1,000 from September, while private sector employment fell by 38,200 jobs last month.
The labor force of 11.03 million people fell by 9,000. Commerce Department officials attributed the continued decline in the labor force (31,000 last year) to retirements among baby boomers and Gen Xers.
The unemployment rate of 3.3 percent was higher than October 2023’s 3.1 percent, but lower than last month’s national unemployment rate of 4.1 percent.
The state saw brief increases in weekly unemployment claims after Helene made landfall in Taylor County in late September and Milton crossed into Sarasota County on Oct. 9.
Unemployment figures are based on mid-October estimates.
Jimmy Heckman, the department’s chief of workforce statistics and economic research, said in a conference call Friday that the data collection for October took place the week Milton made landfall.
Despite the drop in employment last month, the state has added 107,600 private sector jobs since October 2023. Heckman said private sector job growth increased 1.2 percent over a one-year period, slightly less than the national rate of 1.3 percent.
Few employment sectors showed job growth in October, although one category of education and health services added 3,400 jobs.
Meanwhile, employment in the leisure and hospitality sector fell by 18,500 jobs, construction jobs fell by 5,400 and manufacturing fell by 1,100 jobs. Other losses occurred in categories such as financial activities and professional and business services.
Compared to October 2023, employment in manufacturing and financial activities had decreased slightly, while the categories of trade, transport and utilities, education and healthcare, construction and leisure and hospitality had increased.
Across Florida, the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach metropolitan statistical area had the lowest unemployment rate in October, at 2.9 percent.
The Panama City and Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin areas were at 3.2 percent. The Jacksonville and Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford areas, among others, were at 3.5 percent. Pensacola was at 3.6 percent. and the Tampa Bay-St. Petersburg-Clearwater area was 3.8 percent.
The North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton area, which suffered severe storm damage, was 3.9 percent, up from 3.7 percent in September.
The highest rate was in the Homosassa Springs area at 5.6 percent, while The Villages area was 5.1 percent and the Sebring area was 4.9 percent.
The statewide rate is seasonally adjusted, while Metro rates are not adjusted.
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