PANAMA CITY, FL –The unemployment rate in the CareerSource Gulf Coast region (Bay, Franklin, and Gulf Counties) was 3.4 percent in December 2021, holding steady with the 3.4 percent rate in November of 2021. This rate was 0.1 percentage point higher than the region's year ago rate of 3.3 percent. The region's December 2021 unemployment rate was 0.2 percentage points higher than the state rate of 3.2 percent. The labor force was 97,402, up 6,194 (+6.8 percent) over the year. There were 3,292 unemployed residents in the region.
Franklin County had the lowest unemployment rate (3.3
percent) in the CareerSource Gulf Coast region followed by Bay County (3.4
percent), and Gulf County (3.5 percent.)
Unemployment Rates (%)
(not seasonally adjusted)
|
County
|
Dec-21
|
Nov-21
|
Dec-20
|
|
Bay County
|
3.4%
|
3.4%
|
3.3%
|
|
Franklin County
|
3.3%
|
3.4%
|
2.9%
|
|
Gulf County
|
3.5%
|
3.2%
|
3.2%
|
In December 2021
nonagricultural employment in the Panama City MSA was 82,200, an increase of 3,700
jobs (+4.7 percent) over the year.
The Panama City Metropolitan
Statistical Area had the fastest over-the-month job growth rate of 1.1 percent compared
to all the metro areas in the state.
The professional
and business services (+11.8 percent) and mining, logging, and construction
(+5.6 percent) industries grew faster in the metro area than statewide over the
year.
The industries
gaining in jobs over the year were professional and business services (+1,200
jobs); leisure and hospitality (+1,200 jobs); trade, transportation, and utilities
(+700 jobs); mining, logging, and construction (+400 jobs); and financial
activities (+100 jobs); other services (+100 jobs); and government (+100 jobs).
The
manufacturing (-100 jobs) industry lost jobs over the year.
The information
and education and health services were unchanged over the year.
“The growth of the labor force coupled with an increase in jobs show that this region maintains its’ steady recovery from Covid-related economic factors. More job seekers appear to be re-entering the labor force, even though we still feel the impacts of Covid in terms of work interruption, especially for workers that have children,” said Kim Bodine, Executive Director of CareerSource Gulf Coast. “Job seekers remain confident in their ability to find good jobs locally, and the upcoming Annual Bay County Job Fair is the ideal opportunity to connect with employers.”
The 35th Annual Bay County Job Fair on
Feb. 5 will feature over 60 employers hiring local talent, many of whom are attracting
job seekers with new incentives, training opportunities and paths for career
growth. These employers are from a variety of industries and have hundreds of
jobs available in a wide selection of occupations.
Florida
Unemployment Data
Florida’s not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 3.2 percent in December 2021, down 0.4 percentage point from the November 2021 rate, and down 1 percentage points from a year ago. There were 466,000 jobless Floridians out of a labor force of 10,660,000.
About
CareerSource Gulf Coast
CareerSource
Gulf Coast is the workforce development authority that provides services to job
seekers and employers in Bay, Gulf and Franklin Counties. Offices are operated
in all three counties. Visit www.careersourcegc.com
to learn more about professional workforce development and job placement
services, all offered a no charge. CareerSource Gulf Coast is a non-profit
chartered by the State of Florida.
