Jobless picture steady as labor force grows
The jobless rate along the Forgotten Coast was little changed in April, as the labor force expanded and now exceeds one year ago
According to preliminary data released Friday by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, Franklin County’s jobless rate was unchanged at 3.8 percent, while in Gulf, it dropped slightly from 3.6 to 3.5 percent.
In Franklin, two workers joined the unemployment line, raising it to 171 as the labor force grew by 44 workers, from 4,419 to 4,463.
In Gulf County, one person joined the jobless rolls, raising them to 244, while the labor force grew by 83 workers, from 6,805 to 6,888.
This data placed Gulf tied for 14th best in the state, right at the state average, while Franklin County was in the middle, higher than the Florida average but better than the U.S. average of 3.9 percent.
One year ago, the unemployment rate in Gulf was lower, at 2.7 percent, and the labor force was smaller, at 6,838.
In Franklin, the unemployment rate a year ago also was lower, at 3.2 percent, and the workforce was smaller, at 4,439.
Florida’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 3.7 percent in April, up 0.1 percentage point from the March rate, and up 0.4 percentage point from a year ago. There were 410,000 jobless Floridians out of a labor force of 11.2 million. The U.S. seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.2 percent in April.
Florida’s seasonally adjusted total nonagricultural employment was 10.07 million in April, an increase of 21,300 jobs (+0.2 percent) over the month. The state gained 144,100 jobs over the year, an increase of 1.5 percent. Nationally, the number of jobs rose 1.2 percent over the year.
All 10 major industries experienced positive over-the-year job growth in April. The industries gaining jobs over the year included education and health services (+48,200 jobs, +3.2 percent); trade, transportation, and utilities (+26,200 jobs, +1.3 percent); total government (+18,400 jobs, +1.6 percent); other services (+12,600 jobs, +3.3 percent); construction (+12,400 jobs, +1.9 percent); professional and business services (+12,200 jobs, +0.8 percent); financial activities (+5,500 jobs, +0.8 percent); leisure and hospitality (+3,100 jobs, +0.2 percent); manufacturing (+3,000 jobs, +0.7 percent); and information (+2,600 jobs, +1.6 percent).
| County | 2024 | 2025 |
| Wakulla | 2.4% | 3.0% |
| Bay | 2.8% | 3.4% |
| Leon | 2.9% | 3.5% |
| Gulf | 2.7% | 3.6% |
| Liberty | 3.3% | 3.8% |
| Franklin | 3.2% | 3.8% |
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.