Florida’s unemployment rate held at 3.7 percent in July, the same as in June but up from 3.4 percent a year earlier, according to state figures released Friday. The national rate stood at 4.2 percent.
The state added 7,300 jobs in July, bringing seasonally adjusted nonagricultural employment to 10.07 million. Over the past year, Florida gained 134,100 jobs, a 1.3 percent increase that topped the national growth rate of 1 percent.
Hiring was strongest in education and health services, which added 40,400 jobs, followed by trade, transportation and utilities with 29,600, and leisure and hospitality with 18,100. Government payrolls grew by 15,200, while professional and business services added 12,800. Only the information sector saw no change from a year earlier.
Jobless rates varied sharply around the state. Monroe and Miami-Dade counties had the lowest at 2.8 percent, while Sumter County posted the highest at 7.1 percent. Taylor County was next at 6.8 percent, with Citrus and Glades each at 6.2 percent. Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford led all metro areas in annual job growth, adding 26,700 positions. Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall followed with 22,100, and Tampa gained 15,500. Three metro areas lost jobs over the year: Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, Panama City-Panama City Beach, and Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent.
Construction employment grew by 3,800 jobs over the year, while manufacturing edged up by 400. Transportation, warehousing and utilities expanded by 11,500 jobs, and financial activities added 6,300. Other services increased by 7,600. In leisure and hospitality, arts, entertainment and recreation grew 2.5 percent, and accommodation and food services rose 1.1 percent.
