(FORT LAUDERDALE, FL – January 26, 2026) – Broward County’s job report indicated a 4.2% unemployment rate in December 2025. This rate was 1.3 percentage points greater than the region’s year ago at 2.9% and 0.2 percentage points lower than the state’s rate of 4.4%. The labor force was 1,086,564, up 3,455 (+0.3%) over the year. There were 45,697 unemployed residents in the region.  

Nonagricultural employment in the Ft. Lauderdale-Pompano Bch-Sunrise Metro Division was 944,700, an increase of 3,400 jobs (+0.4%) over the year.  

“Broward County’s continued year-over-year job growth across nonagricultural sectors reflects the region’s sustained economic momentum with an additional 3,400 jobs as of December 2025. Greater Fort Lauderdale remains a highly competitive location for business investment, with strong activity in our targeted industries driving employment growth and long-term diversification,” said Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance President and CEO Bob Swindell. “This progress is the result of strong collaboration among our public and private partners, investors, and municipal leaders, whose shared commitment continues to strengthen and expand Broward County’s economy.”

Data and Analysis

As of December, the following five of the major industries grew faster in the metro area than statewide over the year: Other Services (+1.6%); Leisure and Hospitality (+1.4%), Financial Activities (+1.2%), Government (+1.0%), and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (+0.5%). 

The Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach-Deerfield Beach MD had the highest annual job growth in the Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (+1,000 jobs), Financial Activities (+900 jobs), and Other Services (+600 jobs) industries and the fastest annual job growth rate in the Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (+0.5%) industry, compared to all the metro areas in the state, 

The Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach-Deerfield Beach MD had the second fastest annual job growth rate compared to all the metro areas in the state in the Other Services (+1.6%) industry. 

Nonagricultural employment showed a month-to-month increase of 2,700 jobs with a few sectors losing jobs month over month: Professional and Business Services (-1,200, -0.7%), and Education and Health Services (-200, -0.2%). 

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

Florida’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.3% in December 2025, up 0.1 percentage point from the November 2025 rate, and up 0.9 percentage point from a year ago. There were 486,000 jobless Floridians out of a labor force of 11,225,000. The U.S. seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.4% in December. 

Florida’s seasonally adjusted total nonagricultural employment was 10,042,100 in December 2025, a decrease of 4,200 jobs (less than -0.1%) over the month. The state gained 40,000 jobs over the year, an increase of 0.4%. Nationally, the number of jobs rose 0.4% over the year. 

Four of ten major industries experienced positive over-the-year job growth in December 2025. The industries gaining jobs over the year included education and health services (+51,400 jobs, +3.3 percent); total government (+3,300 jobs, +0.3 percent); information (+900 jobs, +0.6 percent); and financial activities (+100 jobs, less than +0.1 percent). The industries losing jobs over the year included construction (-7,500 jobs, -1.1 percent); manufacturing (-3,000 jobs, -0.7 percent); leisure and hospitality (-2,500 jobs, -0.2 percent); trade, transportation, and utilities (-1,300 jobs, -0.1 percent); other services (-1,000 jobs, -0.3 percent); and professional and business services (- 400 jobs, less than -0.1 percent). 

The unemployment rate in Palm Beach County was 4.5% in December 2025. This rate was 1.4 percentage points greater than the region's year ago rate of 3.1%. The labor force was 781,245, up 6,543 (+0.8%) over the year. There were 34,778 unemployed residents in the region.  In December 2025, nonagricultural employment in the West Palm Bch-Boca Raton-Delray Bch Metro Division was 717,900, an increase of 5,800 (+0.8%) over the year.  

For Miami-Dade County, the unemployment rate was 2.5% in December 2025. This rate was 0.1 percentage point greater than the region's year ago rate of 2.4%. In December 2025, nonagricultural employment in the Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall Metropolitan Division was 1,362,700, a decrease of 1,600 jobs (-0.1%) over the year. In December 2025, the labor force was 1,470,605, down 24,826 (+1.7%) over the year. There were 36,255 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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