Florida’s unemployment rate ticked upward in March, rising to 4.7 percent as the state continued to show signs of labor market softening despite adding jobs over the month, according to data released Friday by FloridaCommerce.
The seasonally adjusted rate increased from 4.6 percent in February and was up from 3.6 percent in March 2025. The report showed 523,000 Floridians were unemployed out of a labor force of 11.1 million. Nationally, the unemployment rate was 4.3 percent in March.
Florida’s total nonagricultural employment reached 9.99 million in March, an increase of 28,100 jobs from February. But employment remained below year-earlier levels, with the state losing 22,400 jobs over the year, a decline of 0.2 percent. National employment increased 0.2 percent over the same period.
The year-over-year losses were spread across most major industries. Eight of Florida’s 10 major sectors reported fewer jobs than in March 2025. Government employment fell by 12,100 jobs, followed by financial activities, which lost 11,500 jobs, and other services, which declined by 10,100 jobs. Construction lost 8,700 jobs, while trade, transportation and utilities shed 7,900 jobs.
Education and health services posted the largest annual gain, adding 31,500 jobs, or 2 percent. Professional and business services added 9,300 jobs, a 0.6 percent increase.
County-level figures, which are not seasonally adjusted, showed Miami-Dade County with the state’s lowest unemployment rate at 2.9 percent, followed by Monroe County at 3.1 percent. Taylor County had the highest rate at 8.4 percent, followed by Sumter County at 7.8 percent and Hamilton County at 6.7 percent.
Among metro areas, Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford recorded the largest over-the-year job gain, adding 12,400 jobs. The largest annual losses were reported in Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Jacksonville, Cape Coral-Fort Myers and Naples-Marco Island.
