The Jacksonville area’s employment picture is improving, although the rate is still higher than it was at this time last year.
The number of people out of work in the Jacksonville Metropolitan Statistical Area was 5.8% in August, which marked a 3% drop from July's 8.8% unemployment rate, according to numbers released Friday by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity.
A year ago, the Jacksonville area had a 3.3% unemployment rate.
Looking at the area's county-by-county breakdown, the August not-seasonally-adjusted unemployment rates are:
- Baker 4.4%
- Clay 4.6%
- Duval 6.5%
- Nassau 4.9%
- St. Johns 4.7%
Statewide unemployment remains higher than Jacksonville's. Florida posted a 7.4% unemployment rate, down 4% from an adjusted 11.4% rate in July. Those rates were seasonally adjusted.
Seasonal adjustment is a statistical technique used to account for predictable seasonal employment patterns.
The August state rate reflected 753,000 jobless Floridians out of a labor force of 10.138 million people.
Bars and breweries in Jacksonville and across most of Florida were allowed to begin selling alcohol on site again this week - although capacity remains capped at 50% - which is expected to mean some employees who were furloughed or laid off will be called back to work.
