Despite a 0.2% percent increase in Florida’s unemployment rate in October 2022, the state’s unemployment rate was 1.0% lower than the national rate of 3.7%, and the state’s private sector over-the-year rate growth was at 5.6%, which is 1.6% higher than the national job growth rate of 4.0%.
Overall Trends in Florida’s Job Market
Florida’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 2.7% in October 2022 and was up 0.2% points from September 2022. Despite the increase in unemployment from the month before, October 2022 marked the seventeenth month Florida’s labor force surpassed pre-pandemic levels. In addition, nonagricultural employment in Florida saw an increase of 36,400 jobs over the month. As a result, October 2022 marked the thirteenth month in Florida’s total nonagricultural and private sector employment that surpassed pre-pandemic levels.
Ten major industries in Florida experienced positive over-the-year job growth in October 2022:
- Leisure and hospitality gained 96,200 jobs ($31,029 avg. annual wage)
- Trade, transportation, and utilities gained 92,000 jobs ($53,763 avg. annual wage)
- Education and health services gained 76,800 jobs ($59,043 avg. annual wage)
- Professional and business services gained 57,200 jobs ($74,786 avg. annual wage)
- Financial activities gained 38,700 jobs ($93,945 avg. annual wage)
- Other services gained 28,900 jobs ($44,107 avg. annual wage)
- Manufacturing gained 28,600 jobs ($69,997 avg. annual wage)
- Construction gained 21,100 jobs ($59,088 avg. annual wage)
- Local and federal government gained 9,600 jobs ($61,210 avg. annual wage)
- Information gained 8,100 jobs ($104,461 avg. annual wage)
North Central Florida Labor Numbers
In October 2022, Alachua County’s labor force was 145,684, and employment was 141,964. The county’s unemployment level was 3,720 at a 2.6% unemployment rate. Alachua County’s unemployment rate increased by 0.2% since September 2022 but decreased by 0.4% since October 2021. Nonagricultural employment in Gainesville was at 154,800 in October 2022 and 150,600 in October 2021, increasing employment by 4,200 at a rate of 2.8%.
CareerSource North Central Florida, a one-stop center for employment support in the North Central Florida region, partners with local training providers in the North Central Florida area to address the need for workers through pilot programs for rapid industry credentials.
We hope to be an integral part of helping increase the employment rate even further through apprenticeships, on-the-job training, and more opportunities.
If you are interested in learning more about available jobs in the North Central Florida area, please email [email protected].