The unemployment rate in the Orlando Metropolitan statistical Area (Lake, Orange, Osceola and Seminole) for December 2010 was 11.3 percent, down from 12.0 percent recorded the previous month, the Agency for Workforce Innovation said on Friday. While in part the decline is no doubt due to seasonal employment over the Christmas holiday period, Orlando still ranks 38 out of 67 Florida counties in terms of its unemployment rate.
In the Orlando Metro area, there were 127,511 unemployed residents out of a labor force of 1.1 million. In December 2010, there were 4,091 less people employed as compared with December 2009.
For Orange County alone, 68,713 persons were without work out of a labor force of 606,275, as of December 2010, and 1,637 more are unemployed, when compared to one year ago.
In Osceola County, the unemployment rate stood at 12.4 percent in December, declining 0.7 percent from the month before, and 0.6 percent less than one year ago. Lake County recorded a jobless rate of 11.9 percent, down by 0.7 percent from November 2010 and one year ago. Brevard County posted a 11.9 percent unemployment rate in December 2010, down from 12.6 percent the previous month, and unchanged from one year ago. The unemployment rate in Seminole County was 10.4 percent, down by 0.5 percent from November when it stood at 10.9 percent.
In December 2010, Liberty County had the lowest unemployment rate, 7.7 percent, followed by Monroe County (7.9 percent); Alachua County (8.2 percent); and Leon and Okaloosa Counties at 8.3 percent.
Flagler and Hendry Counties had the highest unemployment rate at 15.7 percent, followed by Hernando County (14.5 percent) and St. Lucie County (14.1 percent). Miami-Dade County recorded a jobless rate of 13.2 percent.
Meanwhile, Florida’s (seasonally adjusted) unemployment rate in December 2010 remained at 12.0 percent, unchanged from November, representing 1.1 million jobless out of a labor force of 9.2 million.
There was a decline of 17,900 jobs in the non-agricultural sector in December 2010 from the previous month, although the number of jobs in the state is up by 43,500 over the year, an increase of 0.6 percent from December 2009, AWI said.
“Although 12 percent unemployment is too high, a sixth straight month of job gains over the year is a positive sign, and with Governor Scott’s emphasis on strategies to spark and support job creation, we anticipate continued improvement in our economy,” said AWI’s Director Cynthia R. Lorenzo.
While December 2010 represents the six straight month of job growth, it is clear that this is nor happening quickly enough as a little over 1 million people in Florida still cannot find jobs.
Mr. Scott has little time too lose in fulfilling his campaign pledge of creating 700,000 jobs in seven years, and then some.
