Lazaro Aleman, Greene Publishing, Inc.
Florida’s jobless rate dropped 0.1 percentage point to 4.6 percent in October, 0.1 percentage points lower than September and 0.3 percentage points lower than the national rate of 4.9 percent.
In Madison County, meanwhile, the October jobless rate remained at 5.2 percent, 0.1 percentage point lower than the 5.3 percent in September. In Jefferson County it was also 5.2 percent, the same as the previous month.
This according to the latest unemployment figures released by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (FDEO).
Statewide, 473,000 Floridians were jobless in October out of a labor force of 9,818,000, not counting persons who had given up the job search, were underemployed, or were employed part time.
Florida’s seasonally adjusted total nonagricultural employment was 8,434,700 in October -- an increase of 5,700 jobs over the month, according to the FDEO.
Seasonally adjusted means the numbers have been purged of seasonal and other factors that could skew the results. The numbers for the individual counties, however, are not seasonally adjusted.
For Madison County, the 5.2 percent translates into 397 jobless persons out of a labor force of 7,593, compared with 403 jobless persons out of a labor force of 7,603 in September when the rate was also 5.3 percent. All told, 7,200 people were employed in Madison County in October, compared with 7,196 in September.
In October 2015, the comparable figures were 437 jobless persons out of a labor force of 7,488 and 7,051 employed when the unemployment rate was 5.8 percent.
For Jefferson County, the 5.2 percent translates into 287 jobless persons out of a labor force of 5,513, compared with 287 jobless persons out of a labor force of 5,529 in September when the rate was also 5.2 percent. All told, 5,226 people were employed in Jefferson County in October, compared with 5,242 in September.
In October 2015, the comparable figures were 295 jobless persons out of a workforce of 5,456 and 5,161 employed when the unemployment rate was 5.4 percent.
Statewide, the industry gaining the most jobs continued to be professional and business services, up 51,600 jobs; followed by education and health services, up 48,600 jobs; leisure and hospitality, up 41,800 jobs; trade, transportation and utilities, up 31,800 jobs; construction, up 28,400 jobs; financial activities, up 18,900 jobs; government, up 16,200 jobs; manufacturing, up 14,300 jobs; and other services, up 4,000 jobs.
The only industry that continued to lose jobs over the year was information, down 2,400 jobs.
Monroe County continued to have the state’s lowest unemployment rate at 3.3 percent, followed by St. Johns County at 3.8 percent, and Lafayette County at 4.1 percent.
Hendry County continued to have the state’s highest unemployment rate at 9.7 percent, followed by Sumter County at 7.1 percent, and Hardee and Highlands counties at 6.9 percent.