Community Corner

Florida's Jobless Numbers Drop: Are You Seeing a Difference?

For the first time since September 2008, Florida's unemployment rate is down to 7 percent. Do the numbers reflect your experience?

The latest round of unemployment statistics are out and there’s good news overall for Florida.

For the first time since 2008, the state has an unemployment rate of 7 percent, according to the Orlando Sentinel.  The numbers are down dramatically from 2009 when unemployment rates throughout the state climbed higher than 11 percent, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

The Tampa Bay area’s unemployment rates seem to be tracking with the state average. The Labor Department clocked the metro area with a 7.3 percent unemployment rate back in July. That number was quite a bit higher than Bismarck, N.D., which enjoyed the nation’s lowest unemployment rate at 2.5 percent. It was alsomuch rosier than Yuma, Ariz.’s, 34.5 percent rate.

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While the numbers are looking up – especially compared to Yuma, economists say they might not be a true reflection of what’s happening on the Florida job front. The Orlando Sentinel story says economists have estimated that “half of the state's decrease in unemployment was attributable to people leaving the workforce, not finding new jobs.

How do you think Florida and Tampa Bay area doing in regard to jobs? Have things gotten better since 2009? What would you do to promote job growth? Share your thoughts by commenting below!

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