Ocala, Fla. (Sept. 20, 2019) – The unemployment rate in the CareerSource Citrus Levy Marion region (Citrus, Levy, and Marion counties) was 4.4 percent in August 2019. This rate was 0.2 percentage point lower than the region’s year ago rate of 4.6 percent. The labor force was 204,558, up 5,079 (+2.5) over the year. There were 9,030 unemployed residents in the region.

Levy County had the lowest unemployment rate (4.0 percent) in the CareerSource Citrus Levy Marion region followed by Marion County (4.2 percent), and Citrus County (5.2 percent).

In August 2019 nonagricultural employment in the Ocala MSA was 107,600, an increase of 3,100 jobs (+3.0 percent) over the year.

The mining, logging, and construction (+6.3 percent); manufacturing (+5.9 percent); education and health services (+5.8 percent); leisure and hospitality (+4.7 percent); and government (+1.4 percent) industries grew faster in the metro area than statewide over the year.

The Ocala MSA had the third fastest annual job growth rate compared to all the metro areas in the state in education and health services (+5.8 percent) and leisure and hospitality (+4.7 percent) in August 2019.

The industries gaining in jobs over the year were: education and health services (+1,100 jobs); leisure and hospitality (+600 jobs); mining, logging, and construction (+500 jobs); manufacturing (+500 jobs); trade, transportation, and utilities (+300 jobs); and government (+200 jobs).

The information (-100 jobs) industry lost jobs over the year.

The financial activities, professional and business services, and other services industries were unchanged over the year.

In August 2019 nonagricultural employment in the Homosassa Springs MSA was 33,800, an increase of 500 jobs (+1.5 percent) over the year.

The region’s preliminary numbers for September will be released on Friday, October 18. To see the full report click here.

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