Florida's Unemployment Rate Drops, Job Creation Increases

Floridas unemployment rate dropped to 6.2 percent in June, according toa report released Friday from the Department of Economic Opportunity.

Junes unemployment rate was a slight downtick from Mays rate, which was 6.3 percent. The states unemployment rate is still slightly higher than the national rate, which was 6.1 percent for the month of June.

Fridays report showed the state added nearly 37,000 jobs in June with almost 600,000 Floridians out of work. The numbers show some positivity since the state experienced the worst job loss in the nation for the month of May.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Florida led the nation in job growth last month.

Walton County had the states lowest unemployment rate at 3.4 percent, followed by Monroe County (3.5 percent) and Okaloosa County, which had an unemployment rate of 4.6 percent.

Hendry County had the highest unemployment rate at 10.6 percent. Flagler County and Hamilton County had the second and third highest unemployment rates, at 8.8 percent and 8.6 percent respectively.

Miami-Dade County had an unemployment rate higher than the state average at 7.3 percent.

Gov. Rick Scott, who has championed a growing workforce and a decreasing unemployment rate as part of his re-election pitch, praised the reports numbers, noting that Junes job-creation numbers were the highest the state has seen.

This news is great for Florida families, and Florida continues to have great success in our states economic recovery, said Scott, who made the announcement in Bonita Springs. Lets keep working so that every person who wants a job can get one here in Florida.

Jesse Panuccio, executive director of the Department of Economic Opportunity, pointed to the policies of the Scott administration as the reason behind Floridas dipping unemployment rate.

This economic growth is not happening by chance, he said. Policy matters, and this administration will keep working to promote the pro-growth policies that are making Florida the best state in the nation in which to live, work, and start or grow a business.