More people went to work in July, but Jacksonville’s unemployment rate rose to its highest level in 18 months.
The jobless rate for the Jacksonville metropolitan area of Baker, Clay, Duval, Nassau and St. Johns counties rose from 3% in June to 3.2% in July, the Florida Department of Commerce reported Aug. 18.
That’s the highest rate since it was 3.6% in January 2022.
The number of people employed in the area rose by about 2,000 to 855,436 but the size of the labor force rose by about 3,000 to 883,274, so the unemployment rate went up.
The labor force consists of people with jobs and those who are actively looking for employment.
All five counties saw an increase in unemployment last month. Duval County’s rate rose by 0.1 percentage point to 3.3%, the highest of the five counties.
St. Johns County’s rate rose by 0.1 point to 2.7%, but that was tied for the third-lowest rate among Florida’s 67 counties behind Miami-Dade and Monroe, which were both at 1.9%.
Baker County was at 3.1% in July; Clay was at 3%; and Nassau was at 2.9%.
Florida’s statewide unemployment rate rose by 0.1 point to a seasonally adjusted 2.7% in July. The Department of Commerce does not provide seasonally adjusted data for local areas in its monthly reports.
The job growth rate in the Jacksonville area remained strong but fell from the June growth rate.
Nonfarm businesses in the area added a net total of 32,600 jobs from July 2022 through July 2023, a 4.2% gain, the Department of Commerce said.
That’s down from the 5.1% annual growth rate in June.
Every major private industry sector increased jobs in the 12-month period except for the category of transportation, warehousing and utilities, which fell by 500 jobs, or 0.9%.
The job gains were led by a 6,400 increase in professional, scientific and technical services, an 11.3% increase.
Accommodation and food services grew by 5,800, or 7.8%.
Florida’s statewide job growth rate was 3.2% in July.