(FORT LAUDERDALE, FL) – Broward County’s job report indicated a 4.0% unemployment rate in September 2025. This rate was 0.7 percentage points greater than the region’s year ago at 3.3% and 0.2 percentage points lower than the state’s rate of 4.2%. The labor force was 1,095,507, up 662 (+0.1%) over the year. There were 43,439 unemployed residents in the region.  

Nonagricultural employment in the Ft. Lauderdale-Pompano Bch-Sunrise Metro Division was 931,300, an increase of 6,800 jobs (+0.7%) over the year.  

“Broward County continues year-over-year job growth in nonagricultural sectors, adding 8,600 Jobs in September 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 September, the following five of the major industries grew faster in the metro area than statewide over the year: Other Services (+3.8%); Leisure and Hospitality (+3.2%), Financial Activities (+1.8%), Government (+1.4%), and Professional and Business Services (+0.9%). 

The Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach-Deerfield Beach MD had the highest and fastest annual job growth compared to all the metro areas in the state in the Leisure and Hospitality (+3,100 jobs, +3.2%) industry. 

The Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach-Deerfield Beach MD had the second highest annual job growth compared to all the other metro areas in the state in the Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (+1,400 jobs) and Other Services (+1,400 jobs) industries and the second fastest annual job growth rate in the Other Services (+3.8%) industry. 

Nonagricultural employment showed a month-to-month increase of 2,700 jobs with a few sectors losing jobs month over month: Construction (-700, -1.3%), Leisure and Hospitality (-600 jobs, -0.6%), Manufacturing (-500 jobs, -1.6%), and Information (-100, -0.5%).

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

Florida’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 3.9% in September 2025, up 0.1 percentage point from the August 2025 rate, and up 0.4 percentage point from a year ago. There were 433,000 jobless Floridians out of a labor force of 11,195,000. The U.S. seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.4% in September.

Florida’s seasonally adjusted total nonagricultural employment was 10,046,100 in September 2025, an increase of 400 jobs (less than +0.1%) over the month. The state gained 66,800 jobs over the year, an increase of 0.7%. Nationally, the number of jobs rose 0.8% over the year.

Six of ten major industries experienced positive over-the-year job growth in September 2025. The industries gaining jobs over the year included Health Services, Trade, Transportation and Utilities, Government, Other Services, Information and Manufacturing. The industries losing jobs over the year were Professional and Business Services, Leisure and Hospitality, Construction and Financial Activities.

The unemployment rate in Palm Beach County was 4.3% in September 2025. This rate was 0.8 percentage points greater than the region's year ago rate of 3.5%. The labor force was 786,282, up 4,755 (+0.6%) over the year. There were 33,858 unemployed residents in the region.  In September 2025, nonagricultural employment in the West Palm Bch-Boca Raton-Delray Bch Metro Division was 706,500, an increase of 8,600 (+1.2%) over the year. 

For Miami-Dade County, the unemployment rate was 3.0% in September 2025. This rate was 0.6 percentage point greater than the region's year ago rate of 2.4%. In September 2025, nonagricultural employment in the Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall Metropolitan Division was 1,339,400, an increase of 6,500 jobs (+0.5%) over the year. In September 2025, the labor force was 1,429,218, down 20,691 (-1.4%) over the year. There were 42,602 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 or 800-741-1420

 

Show Other Stories