County jobless rate third best in state
The Franklin County unemployment rate stayed unchanged in June, and that meant it now has the third lowest jobless rate in Florida.
According to data released last week by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, the county’s jobless rate remained at 2.5 percent last month, as the labor force increased to 5,099, which is 97 more workers than in May and 116 more than at this time last year.
The jobless rolls grew to 129, which is five more persons than were drawing unemployment at this time last year. One year ago, in June 2022, Franklin County had a higher jobless rate of 2.8 percent and 139 people drawing unemployment.
The unemployment rate in Franklin County was better than both Gulf County, which was 2.6 percent, and Bay County, which was 2.7 percent.
The June numbers put Franklin behind only Miami-Dade at 2.2; and Monroe County, lowest in the state, at 1.9 percent.
Florida’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 2.6 percent in June 2023, unchanged from the May 2023 rate, and down 0.2 percentage point from a year ago. There were 290,000 jobless Floridians out of a labor force of a little more than 11 million. The U.S. unemployment rate was 3.6 percent in June.
Florida’s seasonally adjusted total nonagricultural employment was 9.7 million in June, an increase of 5,500 jobs (+0.1 percent) over the month. The state gained 319,500 jobs over the year, an increase of 3.4 percent. Nationally, the number of jobs rose 2.5 percent over the year.
Of the state’s 10 major industries, all 10 experienced positive over-the-year job growth in June.
June Area Unemployment
Bay 2.7%
Franklin 2.5%
Gulf 2.6%
Leon 3.3%
Liberty 3.3%
Wakulla 2.9%
Meet the Editor
David Adlerstein, The Apalachicola Times’ digital editor, started with the news outlet in January 2002 as a reporter.
Prior to then, David Adlerstein began as a newspaperman with a small Boston weekly, after graduating magna cum laude from Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts. He later edited the weekly Bellville Times, and as business reporter for the daily Marion Star, both not far from his hometown of Columbus, Ohio.
In 1995, he moved to South Florida, and worked as a business reporter and editor of Medical Business newspaper. In Jan. 2002, he began with the Apalachicola Times, first as reporter and later as editor, and in Oct. 2020, also began editing the Port St. Joe Star.