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. 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.
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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 August 2023, the national unemployment rate remains relatively low at 3.8% — nearly the same as the same month last year, and up about 0.3 percentage points from July.
Regional and state employment varies widely depending on local economies. Seasonally adjusted unemployment rates by state demonstrate a rather sizable spectrum, ranging from just 1.7% 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 August 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.
#50. Broward County
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1.1 million people (34,491 unemployed)
Roberto Galan // Shutterstock
#49. Union County
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,688 people (151 unemployed)
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#48. Martin County
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 79,547 people (2,551 unemployed)
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#47. Leon County
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 166,778 people (5,380 unemployed)
Zhukova Valentyna // Shutterstock
#46. Brevard County
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 308,591 people (9,952 unemployed)
Victoria1988 // Shutterstock
#45. Bradford County
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 11,463 people (374 unemployed)
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#44. Alachua County
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 144,854 people (4,841 unemployed)
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#43. Escambia County
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 155,611 people (5,114 unemployed)
Creative Couple Media // Shutterstock
#42. Sarasota County
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 203,746 people (6,754 unemployed)
Nadezda Murmakova // Shutterstock
#41. Lee County
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 394,942 people (12,916 unemployed)
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#40. Palm Beach County
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 785,807 people (26,317 unemployed)
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#39. Liberty County
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,731 people (94 unemployed)
Susan C. Brown // Shutterstock
#38. Holmes County
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,432 people (251 unemployed)
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#37. Taylor County
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,409 people (284 unemployed)
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#36. Lake County
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 180,831 people (6,083 unemployed)
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#35. Collier County
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 191,511 people (6,446 unemployed)
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#34. Manatee County
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 194,070 people (6,509 unemployed)
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#33. Volusia County
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 281,994 people (9,637 unemployed)
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#32. Duval County
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 545,367 people (18,434 unemployed)
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#31. Calhoun County
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,902 people (173 unemployed)
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#30. Jefferson County
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,993 people (212 unemployed)
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#29. Gilchrist County
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,528 people (262 unemployed)
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#28. Madison County
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,301 people (293 unemployed)
Terry Kelly // Shutterstock
#27. Washington County
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 10,415 people (360 unemployed)
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#26. Lafayette County
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,940 people (105 unemployed)
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#25. DeSoto County
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 14,243 people (518 unemployed)
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#24. Columbia County
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 30,614 people (1,099 unemployed)
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#23. Osceola County
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 208,729 people (7,486 unemployed)
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#22. Pasco County
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 272,852 people (9,710 unemployed)
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#21. Okeechobee County
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 18,372 people (671 unemployed)
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#20. Suwannee County
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 18,324 people (684 unemployed)
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#19. Jackson County
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 16,997 people (642 unemployed)
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#18. Charlotte County
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 79,660 people (3,017 unemployed)
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#17. St. Lucie County
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 163,365 people (6,241 unemployed)
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#16. Levy County
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 17,697 people (692 unemployed)
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#15. Gadsden County
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Down 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 19,881 people (780 unemployed)
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#14. Flagler County
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 53,709 people (2,121 unemployed)
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#13. Marion County
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 153,858 people (6,075 unemployed)
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#12. Dixie County
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,986 people (238 unemployed)
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#11. Indian River County
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 70,128 people (2,809 unemployed)
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#10. Polk County
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 351,981 people (13,971 unemployed)
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#9. Hernando County
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 81,263 people (3,305 unemployed)
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#8. Putnam County
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 28,244 people (1,206 unemployed)
Felix Mizioznikov // Shutterstock
#7. Glades County
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,418 people (236 unemployed)
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#6. Sumter County
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 40,187 people (1,844 unemployed)
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#5. Highlands County
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.8%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 37,550 people (1,806 unemployed)
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#4. Citrus County
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.8%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 52,966 people (2,519 unemployed)
jenniferlee4828 // Shutterstock
#3. Hardee County
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.9%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,950 people (439 unemployed)
Jen Wolf // Shutterstock
#2. Hamilton County
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.1%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.7 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,264 people (218 unemployed)
Studio952 // Shutterstock
#1. Hendry County
- August unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.3%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 15,972 people (1,011 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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