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 Tampa area’s unemployment rate was 4.6 percent in January, down from 13.9 percent reported in April 2020, the highest rate during the pandemic. Three major industries in the Tampa area that gained jobs over the year in January 2021 include professional and business services, increasing by 2,300 jobs; financial activities, increasing by 1,700 jobs; and construction, increasing by 1,000 jobs. The Tampa area private sector employment decreased by 39,300 jobs, a decline of 3.2 percent over the year. The industry losing the most jobs over the year was leisure and hospitality, decreasing by 26,000 jobs. 

To view the January 2021 employment data, visit www.floridajobs.org/labor-market-information/labor-market-information-press-releases/monthly-press-releases.  

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