Gov. Scott: Jacksonville Added 16,700 Jobs Over the Year

Press Release

Today, Governor Rick Scott announced the Jacksonville Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) gained 16,700 new jobs over the year in March 2015. The Jacksonville MSA's unemployment rate declined by 1.1 percentage points over the year, from 6.5 percent in March 2014 to 5.4 percent in March 2015. Florida businesses have added more than 841,000 private-sector jobs since December 2010.

Governor Scott said, "Across Florida, jobs are continuing to grow and unemployment is continuing to decrease. Jacksonville has added over 16,000 new jobs over the year, and Florida has added more than 841,000 total new jobs since December 2010. We are working to unseat Texas as the best place for business, and today's jobs announcement is another step toward reaching that goal."

The industries with the largest job gains over the year were trade, transportation, and utilities with 6,000 new jobs, education and health services with 3,600 new jobs, and leisure and hospitality with 3,500 new jobs. In March 2015, the Jacksonville MSA had 19,429 online job openings and had 4,801 online openings for high wage, high skill science technology engineering math (STEM) jobs.

Florida created 29,400 private-sector jobs in March 2015, and a total of 841,100 private-sector jobs since December 2010. Florida's statewide unemployment rate for March 2015 was 5.7 percent. In March, more than 37,400 Floridians were placed in jobs by CareerSource Central Florida, along with the state's other 23 Regional Workforce Boards.

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