TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Today, the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity announced the statewide number of private sector jobs increased by 19,200 over the month. Florida’s unemployment rate was 4.7 percent in February 2021, down from the January rate of 4.8 percent. Florida’s labor force was up 55,000, a growth of 0.5 percentage point over the month.

The unemployment rate in the West Palm Beach area was 4.5 percent in February, down from 14.7 percent reported in April 2020, the highest rate during the pandemic. The West Palm Beach area private sector employment decreased by 34,000 jobs, a decline of 5.8 percent over the year. The industry losing the least amount of jobs over the year was professional and business services, decreasing by 200 jobs The industry losing the most jobs over the year was leisure and hospitality, decreasing by 14,500 jobs. 

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

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