Florida added 34,000 jobs for the month of April, according to a report released Friday by the Department of Economic Opportunity.
While the states unemployment rate dipped slightly to 6.2 percent, it has remained mostly flat for 2014. The Sunshine States jobless rate is still below the national unemployment figure, which was 6.3 percent in April.
The number of jobs in Florida was 7.7 million in April 2014, up 247,000 jobs compared to a year ago. The area gaining the most jobs was professional and business services.
Gov. Rick Scott said Aprils numbers indicate good news for Floridians across the state.
Aprils job-creation number of more than 33,000 jobs is great news for Florida families. With Floridas unemployment rate dropping to 6.2 percent, were succeeding in creating an opportunity economy, he said. "The states private sector has created more than 600,000 jobs for Florida families since December 2010, and we are another step toward making sure every Floridian who wants a job can get one.
For the fourth month in a row, Floridas labor force again increased over the month and over the year. The labor force was 9,608,000 in April 2014 and is defined as the sum of employment plus unemployment, or those without a job, but actively seeking work.
Walton County had the states lowest unemployment rate at 3.2 percent, followed by Monroe County at 3.3 percent, then Okaloosa County, which had an unemployment rate of 4.1 percent.
Hendry County had the highest unemployment rate in the state at 8.4 percent, followed by Flagler County with 8.3 percent, and Hamilton County, whose unemployment rate was 8.2 percent.
With 33,700 private-sector jobs created, an unemployment rate down to 6.2 percent, an increasing labor force, and robust job demand, Floridas economic turnaround is leading the nation, said executive director of the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, Jesse Panuccio. Sound, pro-growth policies are making a difference for Florida families.
Reach Tampa-based reporter Allison Nielsen atAllison@sunshinestatenews.comor follow her on Twitter at@AllisonNielsen.
