Locally, we’re essentially at full employment across Manatee and Sarasota Counties. According to data from the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, unemployment in the Bradenton-Sarasota-North Port area fell to 3.3 percent in September from 3.9 percent a year ago. Statewide, Florida sits at a 3.8%
seasonally adjusted unemployment rate, down 0.2 percent from August, and down 1.1 percent from September 2016. Okaloosa and Saint Johns County had the state’s lowest unemployment rates in September at 2.7 percent each. Hendry County had the highest umployment rate with 8.6 percent.