WUFT News News and Public Media for North Central Florida from the University of Florida in Gainesville
Florida’s unemployment rate is inching back up again.
State officials on Monday announced that the rate rose to 5 percent in January. That’s higher than the overall national unemployment rate.
The state, however, did add 54,300 jobs during January and has gained nearly 300,000 jobs over the past year. Florida added more jobs in that month than any other state in the nation. Texas added 51,300 jobs and New York added 28,700.
Florida Gov. Rick Scott lauded the new jobs numbers during a stop at a tool and equipment rental business in Bonita Springs. Scott used the announcement to criticize the Florida House again for voting in favor of a bill that would shutter the state’s economic development agency.
Monroe County had the state’s lowest unemployment rate at 3.5 percent.
