Gadsden County’s November 2018 unemployment rate highest of Capital Region
At 3.9 percent, Gadsden County’s November 2018 unemployment rate was the highest in the region and greater than the Florida state average of three percent, according to a report released this past week by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity.
Of the three counties in the Department of Economic Opportunity-designated Capital Region, Wakulla’s unemployment rate was lowest at 2.7 percent, followed by Leon County at 2.9 percent. There were a total of 5,625 unemployed residents in the Capital Region in November 2018, the report indicates.
Gadsden County’s unemployment rate edged slightly higher this month, compared with October’s rate of 3.5 percent. Still, the county’s 3.9 percent November 2018 unemployment rate represents a notable improvement over last year’s November figures, when unemployment was at 4.8 percent.
Jobs in the healthcare industry continue to be in highest demand for the Capital Region, according to CareerSource Capital Region. Registered nurses topped CareerSource’s November 2018 list of most advertised job openings in the Capital Region, followed by retail salespersons and supervisors of retail sales workers. Truck drivers (tractor trailers), customer service reps and nursing assistants also made the list.
Jackson County unemployment rate rises versus last month, last year
Jackson County’s unemployment rate for November 2018 was 4.4 percent, the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity reported this past week. The figure represents one of the highest unemployment rates the county has seen over the past year; however, unemployment rate variation has generally been slight during this period.
Jackson County added nearly 200 to its number of unemployed from October to November. Of the county’s 17,505-person-strong labor force in October 2018, the Department of Economic Opportunity counted 568 unemployed, representing an unemployment rate of 3.2 percent; Jackson County’s unemployed ranks rose to 751 in November 2018, out of a total countywide labor force of 17,234.
The total Jackson County labor force has shrunk slightly versus the same time last year. In November 2017, the countywide labor force totaled 17,356. With 402 unemployed, the unemployment rate was 4 percent.
Among its neighbors last month, Jackson County fared slightly better than Calhoun County, which saw an unemployment rate of 4.5 percent. Jackson County’s November 2018 unemployment rate was substantially better than the 6.1 percent rate of neighboring Bay County, which is grappling with Hurricane Michael-related economic woes. Jackson County’s other neighbors – Holmes, Washington and Gadsden counties – all had slightly lower unemployment rates last month, at 3.8, 4.1 and 3.9 percent, respectively.
