Florida’s unemployment rate remained at 3.9 percent for the month of April, while businesses created 8,300 jobs in the private sector last month. The latest job numbers were released Friday morning by the Governor’s Office.
“I am proud to announce that Florida’s unemployment rate remains low and businesses have created more than 8,000 jobs just last month,” said Gov. Rick Scott in announcing the numbers. “April was yet another month where Florida outpaced the nation’s growth rate and we continue to add to our total of over 1.5 million jobs created since December 2010. Floridians across the state are finding great jobs as our economy continues to grow.”
Florida has an annual job growth rate of 2.3 percent which is higher than the national rate of 1.8 percent.
The state’s unemployment rate marks a 6.9 percent drop in the state’s numbers since December of 2010, exceeding the drop in that national unemployment rate, which dropped 5.4 percent during the same time frame.
“Businesses are growing and expanding in the Sunshine State and have created more than 1.5 million jobs since December 2010, showing their confidence in our economy and talented workforce,” said Cissy Proctor, executive director of the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity. “While our labor force rate continues to grow, we are happy to see more opportunities for hardworking Floridians.”
The Orlando area continues to have the highest job creation in the state, adding 38,800 new private-sector jobs in the last year. The unemployment rate in Orlando for April was 3.1 percent.
The Tampa area was second in job creation, adding 33,300 new private-sector jobs in the last year. Tampa’s unemployment rate was 3.2 percent last month.
Jacksonville had the third highest number of jobs created with 16,700 new private-sector positions added in the last year. Jacksonville’s unemployment rate was 3.2 percent.