(FORT LAUDERDALE, FL) – Broward County’s job report indicated a 3.3% unemployment rate in March 2025. This rate was 0.4 percentage points greater than the region’s year ago at 2.9% and 0.2 percentage points lower than the state rate of 3.5%. The labor force was 1,086,217, up 3,739 (+0.3%) over the year. There were 35,362 unemployed residents in the region.  

Nonagricultural employment in the Ft. Lauderdale-Pompano Bch-Sunrise Metro Division was 932,900, an increase of 8,400 jobs (+0.9%) over the year.  

“Broward County continues year-over-year job growth in nonagricultural sectors, adding more than 8,000 Jobs in March 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 March, the following five major industries grew as fast or faster in the metro area than statewide over the year: Other Services (+4.7%), Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (+1.9%), Government (+1.9%), Leisure and Hospitality (+1.5%), and Manufacturing (+1.3%). 

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 Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (+3,800 jobs) and Other Services (+1,700 jobs) industries.

Nonagricultural employment showed a month-to-month decrease of 500 jobs with the following sectors gaining jobs month over month: Leisure and Hospitality (+400 jobs), Government (+300 jobs), Manufacturing (+200 jobs), and Financial activities (+100 jobs).

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

Florida’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 3.6% in February 2025, up 0.1 percentage point from the January 2025 rate, and up 0.4 percentage point from a year ago. There were 398,000 jobless Floridians out of a labor force of 11,196,000. The U.S. seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.1% in February. 

Florida’s seasonally adjusted total nonagricultural employment was 10,024,100 in February 2025, an increase of 7,400 jobs (+0.1%) over the month. The state gained 128,300 jobs over the year, an increase of 1.3%. Nationally, the number of jobs rose 1.2% over the year. 

All ten major industries experienced positive over-the-year job growth in February 2025. 

The unemployment rate in Palm Beach County was 3.7% in February 2025. This rate was 0.6 percentage points greater than the region's year ago rate of 3.1%. The labor force was 776,284, down 2,366 (-0.3%) over the year. There were 28,660 unemployed residents in the region.  In February 2025, nonagricultural employment in the West Palm Bch-Boca Raton-Delray Bch Metro Division was 706,000, with no change over the year.  

For Miami-Dade County, the unemployment rate was 2.6% in February 2025. This rate was 0.6 percentage points higher than the region's year ago at 2.0%. In February 2025, nonagricultural employment in the Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall Metropolitan Division was 1,351,700, an increase of 24,200 jobs (+1.8%) over the year. In February 2025, the labor force was 1,447,946, down 1,864 (0.1%) over the year. There were 38,224 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.

 

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