PENSACOLA, Fla. — FloridaCommerce announced today that the Pensacola metro area saw a 1.6 percent increase in private sector employment, adding 2,800 jobs over the year in May 2024. The labor force in the Pensacola area grew by 0.2 percent, equivalent to an additional 574 individuals. The unemployment rate for the region was reported at 3.0 percent in May 2024, up from 2.8 percent in May 2023.
The education and health services sector and the leisure and hospitality sector each added 900 jobs over the year, marking them as the leading industries in job growth within the area.
Statewide, Florida’s private sector job growth rate outpaced the national average with a 2.2 percent increase (192,000 jobs) compared to a national growth rate of 1.6 percent. The construction sector led job gains among major industries statewide with an addition of 5,500 jobs (+0.8 percent) from April to May 2024, followed by education and health services which added 2,700 jobs (+0.2 percent).
“Job creators continue to demonstrate great confidence in Florida’s economic ecosystem through their investments,” noted a spokesperson for FloridaCommerce.
Florida’s unemployment rate remained steady at 3.3 percent from April to May 2024 and was notably lower than the national unemployment rate of 4 percent for May. This marks the state’s unemployment rate as being below the national average for a consecutive period of 43 months.
There were more than 397,000 job postings online across Florida in May, indicating ample opportunities for job seekers. Floridians can access resources through CareerSource Florida to find employment opportunities and receive assistance with resume writing, interview skills, career goal setting, and customized training—all provided at no cost.
For detailed regional employment data for May 2024 or further information on labor market statistics and economic data, visit www.floridajobs.org/labor-market-information/labor-market-information-press-releases/monthly-press-releases or explore Florida Insight.
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