Unemployment jumps in Franklin, Gulf
While continuing to post jobless numbers that place them better off than the state overall, unemployment along the Forgotten Coast rose sharply last month.
According to preliminary data released Friday by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, both counties’ jobless rate jumped by about one-half of 1 percentage point.
In Gulf County, the rate went up from 2.9 to 3.3 percent, as 20 people joined the jobless rolls, boosting them to 181, while the labor force expanded from 5,509 to 5,524.
This tick upwards still kept Gulf at third best in the state, behind only Miami-Dade at 3.1, and Monroe, best in the state, at 2.4.
Franklin County saw a more significant rise in its jobless rate, as unemployment rose by half of 1 percentage point, from 3.2 to 3.7 percent,, as 20 people joined the unemployment line, boosting it to 177. The county’s labor force shrank by 83 people, from 4,737 to 4,654.
One year ago, the unemployment rate in both counties was lower, 2.8 in Gulf and 3.1 in Franklin, while the labor force was larger in Gulf by 80 workers, and bigger in Franklin by 94 more workers.
Franklin’s joblessness in July put it tied for 16th best county in the state, tied with Collier, Hillsborough. Martin, and Santa Rosa, and just behind, Baker, Broward, Clay and Orange counties.
Florida’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 3.3 percent in July, unchanged from the June rate, and up 0.4 percentage point from a year ago. There were 366,000 jobless Floridians out of a labor force of about 11.06 million. The U.S. seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.3 percent in July.
Florida’s seasonally adjusted total nonagricultural employment was just shy of 10 million in July, an increase of 21,800 jobs (+0.2 percent) over the month. The state gained 229,500 jobs over the year, an increase of 2.4 percent. Nationally, the number of jobs rose 1.6 percent over the year.
Nine of ten major industries experienced positive over-the-year job growth in July.
The industries gaining jobs over the year included trade, transportation, and utilities (+55,100 jobs, +2.8 percent); education and health services (+39,600 jobs, +2.7 percent); construction (+36,700 jobs, +5.8 percent); leisure and hospitality (+34,500 jobs, +2.7 percent); total government (+28,000 jobs, +2.5 percent); other services (+16,000 jobs, +4.4 percent); professional and business services (+14,400 jobs, +0.9 percent); manufacturing (+4,600 jobs, +1.1 percent); and financial activities (+1,200 jobs, +0.2 percent).
The only industry losing jobs over the year was information (-900 jobs, -0.6 percent).
July Area Unemployment
| County | 2023 | 2024 |
| Gulf | 2.8% | 3.3% |
| Wakulla | 2.9% | 3.5% |
| Bay | 2.9% | 3.5% |
| Franklin | 3.1% | 3.7% |
| Leon | 3.4% | 3.9% |
| Liberty | 3.7% | 4.6% |
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.