TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Today, the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity announced the statewide number of private sector jobs increased 1,700 from December 2020.  Florida’s unemployment rate was 4.8 percent in January 2021, down from the revised December rate of 5.1 percent.  Florida’s labor force was up 25,000, a growth of 0.2 percentage point over the month.

The Pensacola area’s unemployment rate was 4.6 percent in January, down from 11.9 percent reported in April 2020, the highest rate during the pandemic. Three major industries in the Pensacola area that gained jobs over the year in January 2021 include professional and business services, increasing by 1,700 jobs; trade, transportation, and utilities, increasing by 300 jobs; and financial activities, increasing by 100 jobs. The Pensacola area private sector employment decreased by 1,800 jobs, a decline of 1.1 percent over the year. The industry losing the most jobs over the year was leisure and hospitality, decreasing by 2,400 jobs.