While todayâs 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.
Stacker compiled a list of counties with the highest unemployment rates in Florida using Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
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Counties are ranked by their preliminary unemployment rate in March 2024, 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.
Experts have mixed 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 pandemic â the Great Recession of 2007-09 â sent unemployment rates up to 10% as of October 2009, and a full recovery took years.
But as of April 2024, the national unemployment rate remains relatively low at 3.9%âup slightly from the previous month.
Regional and state employment varies widely depending on local economies.
Seasonally adjusted unemployment rates by state demonstrate a rather sizable spectrum, ranging from just 2% in North Dakota to 5.3% in California.
Read on to see the counties with the highest unemployment in Florida.
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#50. Baker County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 12,899 people (437 unemployed)
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#49. Okeechobee County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 18,313 people (615 unemployed)
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#48. Santa Rosa County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 90,764 people (3,049 unemployed)
JFFC // Shutterstock
#47. Clay County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 115,520 people (3,966 unemployed)
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#46. Manatee County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 195,951 people (6,751 unemployed)
Creative Couple Media // Shutterstock
#45. Sarasota County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 205,686 people (6,931 unemployed)
Zhukova Valentyna // Shutterstock
#44. Brevard County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 306,273 people (10,381 unemployed)
Nadezda Murmakova // Shutterstock
#43. Lee County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 381,998 people (13,049 unemployed)
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#42. Hillsborough County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 828,380 people (27,956 unemployed)
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#41. Union County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,681 people (166 unemployed)
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#40. Duval County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 521,602 people (18,245 unemployed)
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#39. Escambia County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 154,708 people (5,633 unemployed)
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#38. Lake County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 178,646 people (6,415 unemployed)
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#37. Madison County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,990 people (297 unemployed)
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#36. Washington County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 10,117 people (379 unemployed)
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#35. Alachua County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 146,097 people (5,412 unemployed)
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#34. Leon County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 165,590 people (6,169 unemployed)
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#33. Volusia County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 274,302 people (10,055 unemployed)
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#32. Calhoun County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,090 people (195 unemployed)
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#31. Bradford County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 11,007 people (418 unemployed)
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#30. Columbia County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 30,108 people (1,155 unemployed)
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#29. Indian River County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 70,117 people (2,635 unemployed)
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#28. Charlotte County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 79,513 people (2,992 unemployed)
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#27. Osceola County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 204,997 people (7,737 unemployed)
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#26. Lafayette County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,897 people (113 unemployed)
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#25. Holmes County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,291 people (287 unemployed)
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#24. Suwannee County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 18,236 people (712 unemployed)
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#23. St. Lucie County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 160,754 people (6,302 unemployed)
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#22. Pasco County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 267,408 people (10,346 unemployed)
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#21. Liberty County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.0%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,715 people (109 unemployed)
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#20. Jefferson County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.0%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,910 people (236 unemployed)
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#19. Gilchrist County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.0%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,580 people (304 unemployed)
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#18. Gadsden County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.0%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 18,786 people (749 unemployed)
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#17. Glades County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,250 people (217 unemployed)
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#16. Dixie County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,062 people (246 unemployed)
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#15. Levy County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 17,674 people (716 unemployed)
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#14. Jackson County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 17,707 people (730 unemployed)
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#13. Flagler County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 51,986 people (2,110 unemployed)
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#12. Polk County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 349,164 people (14,351 unemployed)
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#11. Taylor County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,744 people (369 unemployed)
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#10. DeSoto County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 13,453 people (568 unemployed)
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#9. Marion County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 152,432 people (6,333 unemployed)
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#8. Putnam County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 29,392 people (1,294 unemployed)
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#7. Hernando County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 79,501 people (3,544 unemployed)
Jen Wolf // Shutterstock
#6. Hamilton County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,248 people (197 unemployed)
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#5. Highlands County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 37,626 people (1,727 unemployed)
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#4. Sumter County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.7%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 39,383 people (1,840 unemployed)
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#3. Hardee County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.8%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 9,433 people (449 unemployed)
Studio952 // Shutterstock
#2. Hendry County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.8%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 16,112 people (767 unemployed)
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#1. Citrus County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 50,014 people (2,549 unemployed)
This story features data reporting by Paxtyn Merten and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.