While significantly lower than the alarming pandemic peak of 14.7% experienced in April 2020, unemployment rates remain a subject of concern, though expertsâ views on a potential recession are mixed.
The last economic recession â the Great Recession of 2007-2009 â 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 May 2023, national unemployment is at 3.4%, with little change from April. Seasonally adjusted unemployment rates by state demonstrate a rather sizable spectrum, ranging from just 1.9% in South Dakota to 5.4% in Nevada.
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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 May 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. Hillsborough County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: No change
- Total labor force: 834,848 people (22,030 unemployed)
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#49. Broward County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1.1 million people (28,619 unemployed)
Victoria1988 // Shutterstock
#48. Bradford County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.7%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 11,270 people (304 unemployed)
Roberto Galan // Shutterstock
#47. Baker County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.7%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 13,125 people (349 unemployed)
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#46. Manatee County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.7%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 191,828 people (5,233 unemployed)
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#45. Sarasota County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.7%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 201,047 people (5,486 unemployed)
Zhukova Valentyna // Shutterstock
#44. Brevard County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.7%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: No change
- Total labor force: 303,433 people (8,329 unemployed)
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#43. Palm Beach County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.7%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: No change
- Total labor force: 780,423 people (20,916 unemployed)
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#42. Liberty County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.8%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,711 people (75 unemployed)
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#41. Lafayette County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.8%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,886 people (82 unemployed)
Roberto Galan // Shutterstock
#40. Union County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.8%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,618 people (131 unemployed)
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#39. Calhoun County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.8%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,985 people (139 unemployed)
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#38. Holmes County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.8%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,248 people (204 unemployed)
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#37. Madison County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.8%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,966 people (220 unemployed)
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#36. Alachua County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.8%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 144,067 people (4,071 unemployed)
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#35. Escambia County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.8%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: No change
- Total labor force: 152,279 people (4,236 unemployed)
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#34. Lake County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.8%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 176,080 people (4,972 unemployed)
Nadezda Murmakova // Shutterstock
#33. Lee County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.8%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 388,267 people (10,945 unemployed)
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#32. Duval County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.8%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 530,959 people (14,839 unemployed)
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#31. Jefferson County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.9%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,830 people (169 unemployed)
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#30. Taylor County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.9%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,325 people (243 unemployed)
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#29. Washington County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.9%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 10,118 people (294 unemployed)
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#28. Okeechobee County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.9%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 18,278 people (536 unemployed)
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#27. Leon County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.9%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: No change
- Total labor force: 162,491 people (4,670 unemployed)
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#26. Volusia County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.9%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: No change
- Total labor force: 274,791 people (8,066 unemployed)
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#25. DeSoto County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: No change
- Total labor force: 14,581 people (434 unemployed)
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#24. Columbia County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 29,919 people (883 unemployed)
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#23. Charlotte County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: No change
- Total labor force: 78,529 people (2,384 unemployed)
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#22. Pasco County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 268,097 people (8,033 unemployed)
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#21. Glades County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,450 people (169 unemployed)
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#20. Dixie County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: No change
- Total labor force: 5,973 people (186 unemployed)
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#19. Jackson County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: No change
- Total labor force: 16,943 people (526 unemployed)
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#18. Levy County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 17,333 people (530 unemployed)
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#17. Suwannee County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 17,960 people (565 unemployed)
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#16. St. Lucie County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 160,716 people (5,021 unemployed)
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#15. Osceola County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 202,903 people (6,247 unemployed)
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#14. Gilchrist County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.7 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,522 people (241 unemployed)
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#13. Indian River County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: No change
- Total labor force: 68,692 people (2,201 unemployed)
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#12. Flagler County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 52,282 people (1,740 unemployed)
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#11. Marion County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: No change
- Total labor force: 152,015 people (5,037 unemployed)
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#10. Polk County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 346,362 people (11,421 unemployed)
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#9. Hernando County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 79,777 people (2,719 unemployed)
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#8. Hardee County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: No change
- Total labor force: 9,016 people (320 unemployed)
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#7. Gadsden County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 19,370 people (669 unemployed)
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#6. Hamilton County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,212 people (155 unemployed)
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#5. Putnam County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 27,969 people (1,032 unemployed)
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#4. Sumter County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 38,951 people (1,452 unemployed)
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#3. Citrus County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 51,179 people (1,990 unemployed)
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#2. Highlands County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.8 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 36,952 people (1,462 unemployed)
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#1. Hendry County
- May unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.8 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 15,625 people (638 unemployed)