The Orlando area unemployment rate decreased to 2.3 percent in December 2022, down from the December 2021 rate of 3.2 percent. Locally, leisure and hospitality gained the most jobs, which is expected for Central Florida.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced the local numbers as part of news that the state unemployment rate dropped to 2.5 percent in December 2022, a historic low last reached in 2006.
The Orlando area added 49,900 new private sector jobs over the year, a 4.1 percent increase. The Orlando area labor force also grew by 40,470 over the year, up 3.0 percent. The industry gaining the most jobs over the year was leisure and hospitality, increasing by 27,100 jobs.
Florida’s private sector employment increased by 425,800 jobs over the year in December 2022 (+5.3 percent), two full percentage points faster than the national over-the-year growth rate of 3.3 percent. In December 2022, Florida’s private sector employment increased by 18,000 over the month (+0.2 percentage point). Florida’s labor force grew by 3.5 percent over the year in December 2022, faster than the national growth rate of 1.6 percent over the same time period.
Florida’s population increased to 22.2 million in 2022, maintaining the state’s status as the third largest in the nation behind California and Texas. Idaho had the second highest growth rate among all states at +1.8 percent followed by South Carolina (+1.7%) and Texas (+1.6%). New York, California, and Illinois are among states that experienced negative growth in 2022, with growth rates of -0.9%, -0.3%, and -0.8%, respectively.
Data in the month of December continues to indicate there are many job opportunities available for Floridians throughout the state, with more than 442,000 jobs posted online. Floridians in search of work and new job opportunities are encouraged to turn to the CareerSource Florida network for help. Floridians can find guidance on how to register with Employ Florida and search listings of available local job openings. Career seekers also can improve their employability by perfecting resume writing and interviewing skills, establishing career goals, and pursuing customized career training. These services are provided at no cost to job seekers.
