TALLAHASSEE — An upward trend in the state’s unemployment rate paused in May, with hiring by small businesses considered “flat.”
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The Department of Commerce on Friday posted a 4.8% jobless rate for the state.
The rate is unchanged from April and marks the first time the figure didn’t go up since the rate held at 3.7% from June 2025 to July 2025.
Nationally, the unemployment rate held at 4.3% from April to May.
Commenting after the U.S. Department of Labor’s June 5 jobs report showing the U.S. economy added 172,000 jobs in May, the National Federation of Independent Businesses stated their figures showed little change in the jobs market, with the small business employment index being “essentially flat” in May compared to April.
“Florida’s small businesses continue to feel the pressures from increased costs across business operations, with rising labor costs as a top concern,” NFIB Florida executive director Bill Herrle said in a released statement. “Small business hiring stalled in May as owners continue to report challenges finding qualified workers.”
The latest state figures show an estimated 531,000 Floridians are unemployed out of a workforce of 11.45 million. Both numbers are slightly down from April, but the number of unemployed has grown by 118,000 over the past year.
Also in the last 12 months, the state has seen seven of 10 major employment fields post negative growth, with the private sector adding just 20,200 jobs.
The number of private sector jobs declined from April to May by 2,200.
The report estimated jobs within the area of education and health services grew by 31,400 over the past year. Those gains were driven by a projected 25,800 new jobs in health care and social assistance.
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Professional and business services added 17,600 over the past year, followed by 5,300 in leisure and hospitality related jobs.
Those numbers were partially offset by a drop of 15,500 positions over the year involving financial activities, 9,200 among government workers, and 6,900 in the area of trade, transportation, and utilities. Also, construction jobs decreased by 2,900 over the year and manufacturing dropped 500 positions.
South Florida continues to have the lowest unemployment rate, with the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach metro area at 3.6%, followed by the Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford region at 4.4%.
The Tampa-St. Petersburg, Panama City and Naples regions were each at 4.5%.
The Melbourne, Jacksonville and Sarasota regions were each at 4.7%.
Pensacola was at 4.8%, followed Tallahassee at 4.9%, Daytona Beach at 5.2 % and Gainesville at 5.3%.
Lakeland was at 5.5%.
The Wildwood area that includes The Villages remains at the other end with a 7.6% jobless rate, ahead of Homosassa Springs at 6.4% and Sebring at 6.2%.
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