Miami-Dade Unemployment Skyrockets
MIAMI (CBSMiami.com) – As the economy continues to sputter along for Main Street, the unemployment rate in Florida sits at 10.6 percent in May, according to the Agency for Workforce Innovation.
That's the lowest unemployment rate for the state since August 2009, but still 1.5 percent higher than the national average of 9.1 percent.
"Florida is leading the nation in job creation and our unemployment rate has dropped for the 5th straight month, a huge win for Floridians," Governor Rick Scott said. "We are gunning to be the number on state for job growth and I will not rest until Florid surpasses Texas for the top spot."
But while some parts of the state are improving, the unemployment rate in Miami-Dade County is the second worst in the state at 13.7 percent. Miami-Dade's unemployment stands just 0.1 percent behind Flagler County for the worst rate in the state.
Miami-Dade's numbers increased 0.5 percent in the month of May and is 1.7 percent higher than in May 2010. The unemployment rate in Miami-Dade County translated to 180,993 workers looking for a job.
In Broward County, the news was much better. Broward County ranks 44th in the state with a 9.0 percent unemployment rate.
Broward's unemployment rate is 0.1 percent higher than in April, but is down 0.5 percent from May 2010. According to the Agency for Workforce Innovation, Broward has 88,459 workers on the unemployment lines as of May 2011.
If you're looking for the best unemployment rate in the state, head to the Keys. Monroe County's unemployment rate of 6.3 percent is the lowest of any county in the Sunshine State.
Monroe County reported just 2,913 people, out of a labor force of 45,926, out of work in May 2011. Month-to-month, Monroe County's unemployment rate dropped 0.1 percent. Compared to May 2010, Monroe saw a 0.4 percent decrease in the unemployment rate.
The job industries that showed job gains in May 2011 included: private education and health services (+24,900 jobs); transportation and utilities (+10,500 jobs); and leisure and hospitality (+45,100) jobs.
Industries losing jobs included: government (-41,500 jobs); construction (-14,300); and information (-4,700).
