Released March 17, 2025
Download the full PDF for Florida
Download the summary PDF for Florida
In January, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 9, rose in 19, and remained unchanged in 23.
The highest unemployment rate was 5.8 percent in Nevada, and the lowest was 1.9 percent in South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate fell by 0.1 percentage point to 4 percent.
In January, payroll jobs rose in 31 states and fell in 19. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.5 percent in South Dakota. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.6 percent in Georgia.
In January, Florida added 16,500 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point to 3.5 percent. In the prior month, Florida added 29,500 net payroll jobs.
Over the past 12 months, Florida added 139,000 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.3 percentage points from 3.2 percent.
Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 125,000 in January, or 0.1 percent. Florida is tied for 14th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.
In January, Florida’s private sector added 12,500 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 113,600 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Florida added 28,200 net private payroll jobs.
In January, employment in Florida rose by 13,310, and over the past 12 months it rose by 29,581.
Florida’s labor force participation rate remained steady at 58.1 percent in January and is tied for 45th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 0.8 percentage points.
Florida added 16,500 net payroll jobs, or 0.2 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during January. In the prior month, Florida added 29,500 jobs. Florida nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 10 of the past 12 months.
Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 125,000 in January, or 0.1 percent. Florida is tied for 14th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.
Florida added 12,500 private sector jobs, or 0.1 percent. on a seasonally adjusted basis during January. In the prior month, Florida added 28,200 jobs. Florida private sector payroll employment has increased in 10 of the past 12 months.
Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 81,000 jobs in January, or 0.1 percent. Florida is tied for 15th in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.
The best performing sectors on a seasonally adjusted basis during January were Education and Health Services (7,200) and Leisure and Hospitality (6,100).
The poorest performing sectors during the month were Professional and Business Services (-600) and Construction (-5,100).
The best performing sectors during the last 12 months were Education and Health Services (47,800) and Government (25,400).
The poorest performing sectors during the last 12 months were Professional and Business Services (1,600) and Information (-100).
The labor force participation rate is the percentage of the civilian noninstitutionalized population age 16 and older who are employed or actively looking for work.
The labor force participation rate in Florida remained unchanged at 58.1 percent in January.
Florida is tied for 45th in the nation.
The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in Florida was 59.7 percent occurring in December 2019, and the 10-year low was 53.8 percent in April 2020.
The national labor force participation rate rose by 0.1 percentage points to 62.6 percent in January.