How many jobs were added in Florida last month?
Refreshed monthly
Florida lost 2,000 jobs in May 2026, ranking it 45th among states in job growth. Those figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' state employment report, which tracks monthly job changes. Job numbers can swing month to month as local economies expand or contract, but over the past five years the state has averaged about 19,900 new jobs per month. These figures are often revised in later months as more complete data rolls in.
-2K
month to month change in number of jobs (May 2026)
45th
rank among states in monthly job growth (May 2026)
Florida’s job loss of 2,000 May 2026 was a directional change from the previous month. The latest monthly job change was down from the 33,900 gain in April 2026.
During the latest five year period (June 2021 to May 2026), Florida gained jobs in 49 out of 60 months. May 2026 had the 10th-lowest job growth during this period. The highest gains during this period occurred in November 2024 (+97,500) while job growth was weakest in October 2024 (-109,600).
There were 2,000 fewer jobs in May 2026 in Florida than the previous month.
Monthly change in nonfarm employment, June 2021–May 2026, seasonally adjusted
Which Florida sectors and industries had the best and worst job growth in May 2026?
The three supersectors with the highest job growth in May 2026 were administrative and support and waste management and remediation services, arts, entertainment, and recreation, and accommodation and food services. Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services added 6,000 jobs, more than the entire economy. Arts, entertainment, and recreation gained 1,300 jobs, while accommodation and food services added 1,300 jobs. The remaining supersectors either posted smaller gains or lost jobs during the month.
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The health care and social assistance sector lost 400 jobs during May 2026.
Change in jobs since previous month with circle size representing number of sector jobs in Florida (May 2026)
How does Florida's job growth in 2026 compare to previous years?
In 2025, Florida lost an average of 2,100 jobs every month. That's lower than the 2024 average monthly increase of 9,100, and the fifth-lowest since 2020. The 2025 average ranks as fifth-lowest in job growth since 2007.
When excluding the two pandemic-affected years of 2020 and 2021, job growth ranged from a loss of 37,100 on average every month in 2008 to a gain of 44,500 on average every month in 2022.
In 2025, Florida lost an average of 2,100 jobs every month.
Average monthly change in the number of jobs, seasonally adjusted
Job growth among 22 metro areas primarily in Florida during May 2026 ranged from a loss of 1,900 jobs in the Tallahassee, FL area to a gain of 2,600 jobs in the Orlando, FL area metro area.
Monthly job growth, by metro area
Metro areas where at least one of its primary counties are within Florida
| Metro area | Change in jobs | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | +2,600 | |
| 2. | +600 | |
| 3. | +400 | |
| 4. | +400 | |
| 5. | +300 | |
| 6. | +200 | |
| 7. | +100 | |
| 8. | +100 | |
| 9. | +0 | |
| 10. | +0 |
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Methodology
USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.
Page sources
USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.
