(FORT LAUDERDALE, FL) – Broward County’s job report indicated a 3.4% unemployment rate in January 2025. This rate was 0.3 percentage points greater than the region’s year ago rate of 3.1% and 0.3 percentage points lower than the state rate of 3.7%. The labor force was 1,091,243, up 12,874 (+1.2%) over the year. There were 37,507 unemployed residents in the region.  

Nonagricultural employment in the Ft. Lauderdale-Pompano Bch-Sunrise Metro Division was 930,600, an increase of 8,200 jobs (+0.9%) over the year.  

“Broward County continues year-over-year job growth in nonagricultural sectors, adding over 8,000 Jobs in January 2025. Interest in Greater Fort Lauderdale as a location of choice and the local expansions in our targeted industries remain strong and continue supporting the overall year-over-year job growth trends,” said Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance President/CEO, Bob Swindell.  “We thank our many partners, investors and leaders at Broward County and our municipalities, who have been working with us to grow and diversify the economy.”

Data and Analysis

As of January, three of the major industries grew faster in the metro area than statewide over the year, including Other Services (+5.9%); Leisure and Hospitality (+2.6%) and Manufacturing (+0.9%). 

The Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach-Deerfield Beach MD had the second highest annual job growth compared to all the metro areas in the state in the Other Services (+2,100 jobs) industry. 

Nonagricultural employment showed a month-to-month decrease of 10,700 jobs with a couple of the sectors gaining jobs month over month: Education and Health Services (+1,900, +1.6%) and Leisure and Hospitality (+300, +0.3%). 

Source: Florida Department of Commerce, Bureau of Labor Market Statistics – Not Seasonally Adjusted 

Florida’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 3.5% in January 2025, up 0.1 percentage point from the December 2024 rate, and up 0.3 percentage point from a year ago. There were 390,000 jobless Floridians out of a labor force of 11,188,000. The U.S. seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.0% in January.

Florida’s seasonally adjusted total nonagricultural employment was 10,018,600 in January 2025, an increase of 16,500 jobs (+0.2%) over the month. The state gained 139,000 jobs over the year, an increase of 1.4%. Nationally, the number of jobs rose 1.3% over the year. 

Nine of ten major industries experienced positive over-the-year job growth in January 2025. 

The unemployment rate in Palm Beach County was 3.7% in January 2025. This rate was 0.5 percentage points greater than the region's year ago rate of 3.2%. The labor force was 779,603, up 4,331 (+0.6%) over the year. There were 28,826 unemployed residents in the region.  In January 2025, nonagricultural employment in the West Palm Bch-Boca Raton-Delray Bch Metro Division was 702,900, an increase of 2,000 jobs (+0.3%) over the year.  

For Miami-Dade County, the unemployment rate was 2.4% in January 2025. This rate was 0.5 percentage points higher from the region's year ago rate of 1.9%. In January 2025, nonagricultural employment in the Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall Metropolitan Division was 1,347,100, an increase of 26,200 jobs (+2.0%) over the year. In January 2025, the labor force was 1,441,653, down 2,527 (-0.2%) over the year. There were 33,915 unemployed residents in the region. 

Below is a chart that indicates the monthly unemployment rates for the tri-county area, the state of Florida and the U.S. for the past 24 months. 

Source: Florida Department of Commerce, Bureau of Labor Market Statistics 

The Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance (www.gflalliance.org) is Broward County’s official public/private partnership for economic development.  Its mission is to lead Broward County in building a stronger and more diverse economy by stimulating the creation of new jobs and capital investment while facilitating the growth and retention of businesses in Broward County.   Services offered by the Alliance include assistance with business relocation or expansion and site selection; incentive programs and information; market research; and serving as a liaison for workforce development between CareerSource Broward, educational institutions, and the business community.  To learn more, call (954) 524-3113.

The Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance | 110 E. Broward Blvd., Suite 1990, Fort Lauderdale, FL  33301 | 954-524-3113

 

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