Florida Unemployment Rate Hits Near 10-Year Low

TALLAHASSEE, FL — Florida’s unemployment rate fell to 4.5 percent during April 2017, the lowest it’s been in since September 2007. Gov. Rick Scott announced the figures Friday along with the jobs report for the Tampa Bay area.

According to Scott’s office, 15,000 private-sector jobs were created across the state in April. That brings the total number of new jobs added to the Florida economy since December 2010 up to 1,355,700, Scott’s office said. The tally puts Florida’s annual private-sector job growth rate at 2.9 percent, which tops the national average of 1.7 percent.

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Scott said the news stands as “proof of our state’s continued economic growth.” In a statement issued with the numbers Friday, he also warned that “while Florida’s economy is on a roll, now is not the time to slow down our unrelenting efforts to bring more jobs and opportunities to our state.”

In the Tampa Bay area, the governor’s office estimates 31,800 new private-sector jobs had been added over the year in April. The region’s unemployment rate stood at 3.8 percent, which was down 0.6 percent over last year. That number also bested the state average.

“It is great news that Tampa area businesses created nearly 32,000 jobs over the year in April,” Scott said. “The Tampa area also led the state in job openings, which means there are thousands of opportunities for Floridians to find the opportunities they need to succeed in Tampa Bay. We will keep fighting to make Tampa, and our entire state, a top destination for job growth.”

The following industries have led Tampa’s job growth over the year:

• Professional and business services – 9,300 jobs
• Construction – 8,900 jobs

To find out more about employment data for April 2017, visit the state online.

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