Governor Rick Scott today announced that the statewide unemployment rate for September 2013 was 6.8 percent and 6.7 percent for October 2013. The statewide unemployment rate has remained below the national average of 7.3 percent since March 2013. Florida has created 440,900 private sector jobs since December 2010.
Governor Scott said, “Florida’s unemployment rate is now below seven percent at 6.7 percent in October 2013. This is our eighth month below the national average. Over the last two months, the state has added more than 67,000 private sector jobs. This is great news for Florida families.
“Our total job creation is now at 440,900, but we have more work to do. We don’t just want a state where job creation reaches a certain number, or unemployment falls to a certain number. We want to create an opportunity economy. We want a state with dynamic, growing industries that will create jobs and careers for generations to come.”
The state gained 20,800 private sector jobs in September 2013 and 46,400 private sector jobs in October 2013. Florida’s annual job growth rate from October 2012 to October 2013 is the fastest since June 2006. With 46,400 new private sector jobs last month, this is the most growth in a month since December 2010. Florida’s annual job growth rate has exceeded or been equal to the nation’s job growth rate since March 2012.
“Today’s numbers represent another successful chapter in Florida’s remarkable turnaround story under the Scott Administration,” said Jesse Panuccio, Executive Director of the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity. “We continue to outpace the nation with respect to job growth, job demand, and unemployment decline, which is further proof that policy matters and the Governor’s pro-growth agenda is working.”
Since December 2010, Florida’s statewide unemployment rate has dropped 4.4 percentage points, from a rate of 11.1 percent to October’s rate of 6.7 percent. Florida’s September 2013 rate was down 0.2 percentage point from the August rate of 7.0 percent, and the rate fell another 0.1 percentage point in October 2013. The current rate of 6.7 percent represents the lowest statewide unemployment rate since August 2008. It is also a decrease of 1.5 percentage points from October 2012, when the rate was 8.2 percent. Florida’s unemployment rate has now declined year-over-year for 36 consecutive months.
More Jobs Being Created
• Florida experienced positive annual job growth for 39 consecutive months.
• Florida’s job growth month-to-month has been positive for 26 of the last 28 months.
• Florida has created 440,900 new private sector jobs since December 2010.
• Florida is expected to create more than 1 million new jobs by 2018, according to the Florida Economic Estimating Conference.
• Florida job postings compiled by the Help Wanted OnLine data series from The Conference Board showed 258,128 openings in October 2013 (seasonally adjusted).
Home Sales Robust
• Home sales remain robust as the backlog of existing homes on the market is down by 36 percent from November 2011 (Florida Realtors).
• Florida median home prices were up 16.6 percent over the year in October 2013.
• Florida housing starts were up 30.7 percent over the year in August 2013 (latest data available).
Economic Growth Trends Up Across State
• A recent U.S. Census Survey reported that Florida experienced an influx of people moving into the state. Florida also led the nation in migrations from Puerto Rico
• Florida is running a trade surplus of over $18 billion – with $90.4 billion in exports and $71.8 billion in imports in 2012, up from $86.8 billion in exports in 2011 and $62.4 billion in imports in 2011.
Workforce Boards Assisting in Employment
• In October, Florida’s 24 Regional Workforce Boards reported more than 48,400 Floridians were placed in jobs.An individual who receives employment and training assistance through a One-Stop Career Center and finds a job within 180 days is deemed a placement and may be reported by a regional workforce board. Of these individuals, 14,119 previously received Reemployment Assistance.
• In 2012, more than 426,000 Floridians were placed in jobs, with 111,173 former claimants finding employment.
To view the September and October 2013 monthly employment data visit: www.floridajobs.org/labor-market-information/labor-market-information-press-releases/monthly-press-releases