Jacksonville’s unemployment rate edged lower in September as job growth surged, the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity reported Friday.
Non-farm employers added 30,200 jobs in the Jacksonville metropolitan area from September 2015 through September 2016, a 4.6 percent growth rate, the agency said.
That’s even higher than the strong 3.8 percent annual growth rate in August.
Jacksonville’s growth was led by the construction industry, which added 4,600 jobs in the 12-month period, a 12.8 percent increase.
No other industry came close to that growth rate. The leisure and hospitality sector was next with a 7.6 percent increase.
The only major industry sector losing jobs is information, which reported a net loss of 400 jobs in the 12 months, or 4.3 percent. The information sector is also the only industry losing jobs statewide, the Department of Economic Opportunity said.
Florida’s overall growth rate was 3.4 percent.
The strong job growth helped lower Jacksonville’s unemployment rate despite a big jump in people looking for jobs, according to the agency’s data.
The unemployment rate for the Jacksonville metro area — consisting of Duval, Baker, Clay, Nassau and St. Johns counties — fell from 4.7 percent in August to 4.6 percent in September, the agency said.
The size of the area’s labor force rose by more than 10,000 in September but most were able to find jobs, according to the data. When people are not actively looking for jobs, they are not counted as unemployed.
University of North Florida economist Albert Loh said an increase in employment at this time of the year is a good sign for the area’s economy.
“We are right out of the summer employment season and before the holiday employment surge,” he said.
The Department of Economic Opportunity does not adjust the Jacksonville data for seasonal factors but UNF’s Local Economic Indicators Project reported when the data is seasonally adjusted, it shows the rate fell from 4.81 percent in August to 4.72 percent in September.
Duval County’s unemployment rate fell by 0.2 percentage points to 4.9 percent, before seasonal adjustment. LEIP said when it is adjusted, the county’s jobless rate was basically flat, rising slightly from 5.13 percent to 5.17 percent in September.
St. Johns County’s unemployment rate edged up by 0.1 point to 3.7 percent in September, without adjustment, but that continued to be the second lowest jobless rate in the state behind Monroe County’s 3.2 percent.
Florida’ statewide unemployment rate was unchanged in September at a seasonally adjusted 4.7 percent.