Florida’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate held steady at 3.7 percent in May, unchanged from the previous month, according to data released Friday by the Florida Department of Commerce. The figure represents a 0.4 percentage point increase from a year earlier, with approximately 414,000 Floridians unemployed out of a labor force totaling 11.2 million.

The state’s jobless rate remains below the national average, which stood at 4.2 percent in May. Over the month, Florida added 20,500 nonagricultural jobs, bringing total employment to 10.09 million—a 1.5 percent increase over the year. Nationally, jobs grew by 1.1 percent year over year.

All ten major private industry sectors in Florida reported job growth compared to May 2024, led by education and health services, which gained 49,500 positions, and trade, transportation, and utilities, which added 32,100 jobs. Professional and business services, government, and construction also posted annual gains. The leisure and hospitality sector, while still growing, recorded a modest uptick of 0.3 percent over the year.

Regionally, the Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford metro area posted the largest over-the-year job gain among Florida’s major labor markets, with an increase of 31,900 positions. Miami and Tampa followed with gains of 23,700 and 16,000 jobs, respectively.

Monroe County recorded the lowest unemployment rate among counties at 2.4 percent, while Taylor County posted the highest at 6.2 percent. Florida’s not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate also remained flat at 3.5 percent from April to May but was up from 3.1 percent a year earlier.