Jacksonville’s unemployment rate dropped in April, falling close to its record-low rate.
The jobless rate in the Jacksonville metropolitan area of Baker, Clay, Duval, Nassau and St. Johns counties fell from 2.6% in March to 2.3% in April, the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity reported May 19.
The record low in the agency’s data, which dates back to 1990, was 2.2% in December 2022.
Duval County’s unemployment rate fell from 2.7% in March to 2.4% last month, but the other four counties were all below that level.
St. Johns County was at 2% and the other three counties were all at 2.2%.
The St. Johns rate was tied for fourth-lowest in the state among Florida’s 67 counties. Monroe County had the lowest rate at 1.4%.
Florida’s statewide jobless rate was unchanged at 2.6% on a seasonally adjusted basis, but the rate fell by 0.3 percentage point to 2.3% before adjustments for seasonal factors.
The Jacksonville area data is not seasonally adjusted.
The Department of Economic Opportunity also said Jacksonville area nonfarm businesses added 31,700 jobs to their payrolls from April 2022 through April 2023, a 4.1% growth rate.
Every business sector reported an increase in jobs in the 12-month period except telecommunications, which had a net decline of 100 jobs, or 4.4%.
The biggest gains came in the leisure and hospitality sector, which added 5,600 jobs, or 6.5%.
On a percentage basis, the largest gain came in management of companies and enterprises, which rose 9.1%, adding 800 positions.
Hospitals also had a strong percentage gain, adding 2,800 jobs, or 9%.
Jacksonville beat Florida’s statewide job growth of 3.9% in the 12-month period.