Unemployment jumps along the Forgotten Coast
The jobless rate along the Forgotten Coast climbed sharply in January.
According to preliminary data released Monday by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, Franklin County’s jobless rate went from 3.7 to 4.5 percent, and in Gulf, it went from 3.1 to 3.7 percent.
In Franklin, 39 workers joined the unemployment line, raising it to 198 as the labor force grew by 82 workers, from 4,294 to 4,376.
In Gulf County, 45 people joined the jobless rolls, raising them to 250, while the labor force grew by 51 workers, from 6,683 to 6,734.
This data placed Gulf as midway in the state, on par with the state average, while Franklin County was tied for 19th highest in the state, worse than the U.S. average.
One year ago, the unemployment rate in Gulf was lower, at 3.3 percent, and the labor force was smaller at 6,613.
In Franklin, the unemployment rate a year ago was lower, at 4.1 percent, and the workforce was larger, at 4,395.
Florida’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 3.5 percent in January, up 0.1 percentage point from the December rate, and up 0.3 percentage point from a year ago. There were 390,000 jobless Floridians out of a labor force of 11.19 million. The U.S. seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.0 percent in January.
Florida’s seasonally adjusted total nonagricultural employment was 10.02 million in January, an increase of 16,500 jobs (+0.2 percent) over the month. The state gained 139,000 jobs over the year, an increase of 1.4 percent. Nationally, the number of jobs rose 1.3 percent over the year.
Nine of 10 major industries experienced positive over-the-year job growth in January. The industries gaining jobs over the year included education and health services (+47,800 jobs, +3.2 percent); total government (+25,400 jobs, +2.2 percent); trade, transportation, and utilities (+23,700 jobs, +1.2 percent); leisure and hospitality (+13,500 jobs, +1.0 percent); construction (+10,700 jobs, +1.7 percent); other services (+9,100 jobs, +2.4 percent); financial activities (+4,200 jobs, +0.6 percent); manufacturing (+3,100 jobs, +0.7 percent); and professional and business services (+1,600 jobs, +0.1 percent).
The industry losing jobs over the year was information (-100 jobs, -0.1 percent).
Every March, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Florida Department of Commerce release January employment and unemployment estimates as well as revised historical data. This report is the result of that annual process, known as “benchmarking.” Benchmark revisions are a standard part of the estimation process and take place at this time every year in each state nationwide.
| County | 2024 | 2025 |
| Wakulla | 2.8% | 2.3% |
| Gulf | 3.3% | 3.7% |
| Leon | 3.2% | 3.7% |
| Bay | 3.6% | 4.0% |
| Liberty | 3.6% | 4.2% |
| Franklin | 4.1% | 4.5% |
Meet the Editor
David Adlerstein, The Apalachicola Times’ digital editor, started with the news outlet in January 2002 as a reporter.
Prior to then, David Adlerstein began as a newspaperman with a small Boston weekly, after graduating magna cum laude from Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts. He later edited the weekly Bellville Times, and as business reporter for the daily Marion Star, both not far from his hometown of Columbus, Ohio.
In 1995, he moved to South Florida, and worked as a business reporter and editor of Medical Business newspaper. In Jan. 2002, he began with the Apalachicola Times, first as reporter and later as editor, and in Oct. 2020, also began editing the Port St. Joe Star.