While todayās 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. The last economic recession before the pandemicā the Great Recession of 2007-09 ā sent unemployment rates up to 10% as of October 2009, and a full recovery took years.
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But as of October 2023, the national unemployment rate remains relatively low at 3.9% ā little changed from the previous month, and up about 0.2 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 1.7% in Maryland 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 October 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. Clay County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 121,237 people (3,720 unemployed)
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#49. Collier County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 192,797 people (6,060 unemployed)
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#48. Hillsborough County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 846,531 people (26,560 unemployed)
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#47. Union County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: No change
- Total labor force: 4,723 people (153 unemployed)
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#46. Sarasota County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 203,365 people (6,568 unemployed)
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#45. Brevard County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 308,120 people (9,976 unemployed)
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#44. Lee County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Down 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 395,206 people (12,682 unemployed)
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#43. Duval County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 547,284 people (17,368 unemployed)
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#42. Palm Beach County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 792,420 people (25,641 unemployed)
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#41. Jefferson County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,088 people (199 unemployed)
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#40. Alachua County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 150,524 people (5,040 unemployed)
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#39. Escambia County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 155,345 people (5,202 unemployed)
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#38. Leon County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 169,522 people (5,678 unemployed)
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#37. Liberty County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,771 people (95 unemployed)
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#36. Holmes County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,427 people (253 unemployed)
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#35. Madison County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,238 people (283 unemployed)
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#34. Washington County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 10,385 people (350 unemployed)
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#33. Bradford County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 11,551 people (387 unemployed)
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#32. Okeechobee County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 18,368 people (629 unemployed)
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#31. Lake County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 180,134 people (6,075 unemployed)
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#30. Manatee County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 193,760 people (6,518 unemployed)
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#29. Volusia County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 279,362 people (9,611 unemployed)
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#28. Gilchrist County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,781 people (270 unemployed)
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#27. Pasco County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 272,234 people (9,663 unemployed)
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#26. Calhoun County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,029 people (182 unemployed)
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#25. DeSoto County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 14,503 people (523 unemployed)
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#24. Columbia County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 30,955 people (1,100 unemployed)
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#23. Charlotte County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 79,904 people (2,892 unemployed)
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#22. Osceola County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 207,390 people (7,484 unemployed)
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#21. Levy County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 17,860 people (668 unemployed)
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#20. Suwannee County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 18,372 people (679 unemployed)
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#19. St. Lucie County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 163,124 people (5,991 unemployed)
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#18. Lafayette County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,974 people (112 unemployed)
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#17. Jackson County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 17,160 people (653 unemployed)
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#16. Indian River County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 70,071 people (2,661 unemployed)
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#15. Marion County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 154,367 people (5,905 unemployed)
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#14. Glades County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,651 people (218 unemployed)
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#13. Gadsden County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 20,203 people (785 unemployed)
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#12. Flagler County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 53,150 people (2,092 unemployed)
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#11. Polk County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 351,506 people (13,748 unemployed)
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#10. Dixie County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,110 people (251 unemployed)
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#9. Taylor County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,485 people (346 unemployed)
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#8. Hernando County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 81,196 people (3,365 unemployed)
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#7. Putnam County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 28,303 people (1,208 unemployed)
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#6. Sumter County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 39,680 people (1,735 unemployed)
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#5. Hardee County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,967 people (400 unemployed)
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#4. Highlands County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 37,065 people (1,677 unemployed)
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#3. Citrus County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 52,687 people (2,447 unemployed)
Jen Wolf // Shutterstock
#2. Hamilton County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.0%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,320 people (218 unemployed)
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#1. Hendry County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 16,053 people (821 unemployed)
This story features data reporting by Paxtyn Merten and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.