Contact: Laura Byrnes, APR, CPRC
Communications Manager
352-291-5999 | 352-816-1264
[email protected]
OCALA, Fla. (Jan. 24, 2020) – The unemployment rate in the CareerSource Citrus Levy Marion region was 3.4 percent in December 2019, down 0.1 percentage point over the month and 0.7 percentage point lower than the region’s rate a year ago.
The labor force was 202,249, an increase of 2,079. There were 6,833 unemployed in the region, a decrease of 219 since November.
Compared to November 2019, the number of people working in the region fell by 1,236, but over the year employment increased by 3,547 when the unemployment rate was 4.9 percent.
According to December’s preliminary jobs report released today by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, Levy County maintained the lowest jobless rate in the region at 2.9 percent, down 0.1 percentage point over the month; Marion County followed with a rate is of 3.2 percent, a decrease of 0.1 percent; and Citrus County’s rate was 4.0 percent, 0.1 percentage point less than November 2019.
Florida’s not seasonally adjusted jobless rate – a measure that matches the way local rates are calculated – is 2.5 percent, a decrease of 0.2 percentage points over the month and down from 3.3 percent a year ago.
Here’s a snapshot of each county’s jobs numbers for December:
Citrus County’s labor force dipped by 367 over the month to 47,721, the number of employed fell by 323 to 45,797 while the number of unemployed dropped by to 1,924. Compared to December 2018, when the jobless rate was 4.9 percent, the labor force has expanded by 157, there are 584 more employed and a decrease of 427 who are unemployed.
Levy County’s labor force fell by 91 to 17,001, the number of those with jobs decreased by 64 to 16,507, and the number of unemployed dropped by 27 to 494. That’s an over-the-year increase of 143 in the labor force, 260 more working and drop of 117 unemployed compared to when the rate was 3.6 percent.
Marion County’s labor force contracted by 997 to 137,527, the number of those with jobs dropped by 849 to 133,112 and the number of unemployed fell by 148 to 4,415. Compared to December 2018 when the rate was 3.9 percent, the labor force has expended by 1,779, there are 2,703 more employed and 924 fewer unemployed.
Nonfarm employment in December 2019 for the Ocala/Marion County metropolitan statistical area was 108,600, an increase of 1,900 jobs over the year for a growth rate of 1.8 percent.
The Homosassa Springs MSA’s nonfarm employment was 34,200, an increase of 300 new jobs over the year for a job growth rate of 0.9 percent.
Industries that also grew faster in the Ocala metro than statewide over the year were manufacturing, 300 new jobs for a total of 9,000 jobs (+3.4 percent) and trade, transportation and utilities, an increase of 400 new jobs for a total of 25,600 (+1.6 percent).
Education and health services also gained jobs over the year, with 700 new jobs for a total of 20,000 jobs (+3.6 percent); mining, logging, and construction adding 300 jobs for a total of 8,500 (+3.7 percent); manufacturing adding 300 jobs for a total of 9,000 (+3.4 percent); leisure and hospitality adding 300 jobs for a total of 13,100 (+2.3 percent); and government adding 100 jobs for a total of 15,300 (+0.7 percent).
The information and professional business services industries, with 700 and 9,700 jobs respectively, were unchanged over the year.
In December 2019, unemployment rates decreased in 51 of Florida’s 67 counties, increased in two and were unchanged in 14.
Citrus County tied with Sumter County for the third highest rate; Marion County tied with Flagler, Glades, Madison and Calhoun counties with the 13th highest rate; and Levy County tied with DeSoto, Liberty, Suwannee, Taylor, and Volusia counties with the 25th highest rate.
Among the metro areas, the Homosassa Springs/Citrus County MSA tied with The Villages for the highest rate and the Ocala MSA held with the fourth highest rate.
Due to annual benchmarking that takes place next month, January’s preliminary employment summary will be released on March 16 and February’s report will be released March 27.
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