March 2025 | Released April 18, 2025

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United States Employment Snapshot

• In March, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 15, rose in 17, and remained unchanged in 19.

• The highest unemployment rate was 5.7 percent in Nevada, and the lowest was 1.8 percent in South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point to 4.2 percent.

• In March, payroll jobs rose in 38 states and fell in 12. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.5 percent in Missouri. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.3 percent in Connecticut.

Florida Employment Snapshot

• In March, Florida added 18,100 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 3.6 percent. In the prior month, Florida added 15,200 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, Florida added 135,000 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.4 percentage points from 3.2 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 228,000 in March, or 0.1 percent. Florida is tied for 5th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In March, Florida’s private sector added 16,100 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 113,600 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Florida added 14,800 net private payroll jobs.

• In March, employment in Florida fell by 3,334, and over the past 12 months it rose by 18,783.

• Florida’s labor force participation rate fell to 58 percent in March from 58.1 percent and ranks 45th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 0.7 percentage points.

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Florida Payroll Employment

• Florida added 18,100 net payroll jobs, or 0.2 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during March. In the prior month, Florida added 15,200 jobs. Florida nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 10 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 228,000 in March, or 0.1 percent. Florida is tied for 5th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• Florida added 16,100 private sector jobs, or 0.2 percent. on a seasonally adjusted basis during March. In the prior month, Florida added 14,800 jobs. Florida private sector payroll employment has increased in 10 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 209,000 jobs in March, or 0.2 percent. Florida is tied for 9th 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 March were Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (5,800) and Education and Health Services (5,600).

• The poorest performing sectors during the month were Leisure and Hospitality (-900) and Construction (-1,400).

• The best performing sectors during the last 12 months were Education and Health Services (42,000) and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (24,600).

• The poorest performing sectors during the last 12 months were Leisure and Hospitality (1,400) and Information (1,000).

Florida Labor Force

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 fell to 58 percent in March from 58.1 percent in the prior month.

• Florida ranks 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 62.5 percent in March.