Gov. Scott: West Palm Beach Area Added More Than 17,000 New Jobs Over the Year

Press Release

Today, Governor Rick Scott announced that the West Palm Beach area added 17,600 new private-sector jobs in the last year. The area's unemployment rate was 4.3 percent in June, dropping 0.7 percentage point in the last year. Statewide, Florida businesses created 17,800 new jobs in June and the unemployment rate dropped to 4.1 percent, the lowest rate since June 2007. Since December 2010, Florida businesses have created 1,397,400 new private-sector jobs.

Governor Scott said, "With Florida's unemployment rate at a 10-year low, we are sending a message across the country that our state is the best place for job creators and families to succeed. It is also great news that West Palm Beach businesses have created more than 17,000 new jobs over the year, and we will keep working to make it easier for businesses to grow and create new opportunities in Florida."

The industries with the highest growth over the year in West Palm Beach were professional and business services with 4,900 new jobs; leisure and hospitality with 4,700 new jobs; and education and health services with 4,100 new jobs. In June, the West Palm Beach area had 17,409 job openings and offered 4,818 openings for high-skill, high-wage STEM jobs.

For 63 consecutive months, Florida's annual job growth rate of 3.1 percent is exceeding the nation's rate of 1.7 percent. In June, 22,977 Floridians were placed in jobs by CareerSource Palm Beach County and the state's other 23 local workforce boards.

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