• FloridaCommerce reported that the state’s labor force reached a record high in September, with the addition of 33,000 registered individuals. 
• In September, most jobs were added in the professional and business services, education and health services, trade, transportation, and utilities sectors.
• Nine out of ten major industries in Florida reported year-over-year job growth, with the education and health services sector seeing the largest increase at 5.7 percent.
• Florida’s unemployment rate in September was 2.8 percent, a slight increase from previous months. Regionally, Miami-Dade County boasted the lowest unemployment rate at 1.5 percent, while Hendry County had the highest at 5.6 percent.

FloridaCommerce, the state’s business and economic growth agency, reported on Friday that Florida’s labor force reached an all-time high in September, though the state’s unemployment rate saw a 0.1 percent increase compared to the month prior.

Agency data for last month shows the addition of 33,000 to the labor force and 16,200 new private sector jobs. In terms of the private sector, Florida recorded a growth of 2.5 percent year-over-year in September, surpassing the national growth rate of 2.0 percent.

Broadly speaking, the sectors that added the most jobs in September were professional and business services, education and health services, trade, transportation, and utilities.

“Florida continues to hedge against national trends, with four consecutive months of growth in construction professions, investor confidence in Florida’s AAA credit rating helping to drive record business formations, and elevated workforce confidence to participate in the labor force,” said Secretary of Commerce J. Alex Kelly.

Nine out of ten major industries in Florida reported over-the-year job growth in September, with the education and health services sector leading with a 5.7 percent increase, equivalent to 80,700 jobs.

Other industries, such as trade, transportation, utilities, and leisure and hospitality also showed growth. However, the information sector experienced a decline, losing approximately 4,100 jobs.

In September, the state registered an annual growth rate of 3.0 percent. However, Florida’s unemployment rate for the month stands at 2.8 percent, a 0.1 percent increase from August and a 0.2 percent increase compared to May. On a local scale, Miami-Dade County registered the lowest unemployment rate at 1.5 percent, while Hendry County had the highest at 5.6 percent.

Further data from The Digital Project Manager indicates that Florida has 13,238 small businesses per 100,000 residents, marking the highest concentration among all U.S. states.