TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Today, Governor Rick Scott announced that Florida businesses have created 917,400 private-sector jobs since December 2010 and the state’s unemployment rate fell to 5.4 percent. In July 2015, 16,900 private-sector jobs were created across Florida. Florida’s annual private-sector job growth rate, now at 3.8 percent, has exceeded that of the nation since April 2012. Governor Scott made the announcement at Haynes Corporation, a manufacturer of precision diesel fuel injection systems that has created nearly 50 new jobs in Naples since 2011.

Governor Rick Scott said, “I am excited to announce that more than 917,400 private-sector jobs have been created in our state since December 2010. Thousands of Floridians are finding new opportunities to find a great job, provide for their loved ones, and achieve their dreams in our great state. We are working hard to continue cutting taxes and reducing regulations so more businesses will grow and expand here.”

Florida’s unemployment rate decreased by 0.6 percentage point over the year from the July 2014 rate of 6.0 percent, down to 5.4 percent in July 2015. The July 2015 unemployment rate is the lowest since March 2008 when it was also 5.4 percent.  Florida’s unemployment rate has declined by 5.3 percentage points since December 2010. 

Florida Department of Economic Opportunity Executive Director Jesse Panuccio said, “In July, Florida saw another strong month of job creation. We continue to outpace national growth, and our business climate continues to be one of the best in the nation.”

More Floridians Getting Back to Work

• Florida’s private-sector job growth month-to-month has been positive for 45 consecutive months. 
• Private-sector industries gaining the most jobs over the month in July were construction with 4,800 new jobs, trade, transportation, and utilities with 4,000 new jobs, and professional and business services with 4,000 new jobs.
• Florida has created 917,400 new private sector jobs since December 2010.
• Florida job postings compiled by the Help Wanted OnLine data series from The Conference Board showed 273,919 openings in July 2015.

Home Sales Robust

• Florida's housing market had more closed sales, higher median prices, and more pending sales in July 2015.  Closed sales of existing single-family homes statewide totaled 26,916 last month, up 21.8 percent over July 2014. 
• Statewide, new pending sales for single-family homes in July rose 6.5 percent year-over-year, while new townhouse-condo pending sales rose 3.8 percent. 
• The statewide median sales price for single-family existing homes last month was $199,900, up 8.1 percent from the previous year; the statewide median price for townhouse-condo properties in July was $150,000, up 9.1 percent over the year-ago figure. 
• July marked the 44th consecutive month that median sales prices increased year-over-year for both single-family homes and townhouse-condo properties.

Workforce Boards Assisting in Employment

• In July, Florida’s 24 regional workforce boards reported more than 36,600 Floridians were placed in jobs. An individual who receives employment and training assistance through a CareerSource Center and finds a job within 180 days is deemed a placement and may be reported by a regional workforce board. Of these individuals, 6,394 previously received Reemployment Assistance. 
• In 2014, 470,534 individuals were placed into jobs through the regional workforce board, including more than 23,986 veterans.

To view the July 2015 employment data visit http://www.floridajobs.org/labor-market-information/labor-market-information-data-releases/monthly-data-releases.

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