News and Public Media for North Central Florida
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Florida's Job Growth Slowed Down In March

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida's job growth is slowing down although the state's unemployment rate still dipped slightly.

State officials say Florida's unemployment rate dropped to 4.9 percent in March. That's lower than the national jobless rate of 5 percent.

Back in January the state added the highest number of jobs in the nation. But in March, Florida only added 3,000 jobs. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics listed 13 other states that added more jobs.

Gov. Rick Scott announced the jobless numbers during a stop at a Tampa distribution center. In a statement, Scott emphasized the total number of private sector jobs since January and did not mention the slowdown.

Monroe County, home to Key West, had the state's lowest unemployment rate at 3.1 percent. Hendry County had the highest at 7.3 percent.

The Associated Press is a wire service to which WUFT News subscribes.