RWB19
Overview of the CareerSource Heartland Region
Not Seasonally Adjusted
November 16, 2018
• The unemployment rate in the CareerSource Heartland region (DeSoto, Hardee, Highlands, and
Okeechobee counties) was 3.8 percent in October 2018. This rate was 1.1 percentage point lower than
the region's year ago rate of 4.9 percent. The labor force was 76,174, up 1,178 (+1.6) over the
year. There were 2,912 unemployed residents in the region.
• Okeechobee County had the lowest unemployment rate (3.1 percent) in the CareerSource Heartland
region followed by DeSoto County (3.3 percent), Highlands County (4.2 percent), and Hardee County
(4.5 percent).
• Employment by industry in the CareerSource Heartland region totaled 57,986 jobs in March 2018
(the latest available data). Industry employment decreased by 0.5 percent over the year.
• The annual job growth rates for information (+40.4 percent); natural resources and mining (+10.5
percent); leisure and hospitality (+6.0 percent); other services (+3.6 percent); and trade,
transportation, and utilities (+2.7 percent) exceeded those of the state.
• The CareerSource Heartland region’s industry employment decreased by 288 jobs over the year in
March 2018. Six of the 11 industries added jobs over the year. The industries that gained the most
jobs included: natural resources and mining (+751 jobs); leisure and hospitality (+379 jobs); and
trade, transportation, and utilities (+300 jobs).
• In October 2018 nonagricultural employment in the Sebring MSA was 25,700, an increase of 500
jobs (+2.0 percent) over the year.
Note: All data are subject to revision.
Source: Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, Bureau of Workforce Statistics and Economic Research.
| Unemployment Rates (%) (not seasonally adjusted) |
||||||||||
| Oct-18 | Sep-18 | Oct-17 | ||||||||
| CareerSource Heartland | 3.8 | 3.9 | 4.9 | |||||||
| DeSoto County | 3.3 | 3.3 | 4.3 | |||||||
| Hardee County | 4.5 | 4.8 | 5.5 | |||||||
| Highlands County | 4.2 | 4.2 | 5.5 | |||||||
| Okeechobee County | 3.1 | 3.2 | 4.1 | |||||||
| Florida | 3.0 | 3.1 | 3.9 | |||||||
| United States | 3.5 | 3.6 | 3.9 | |||||||
|
Employment by Industry |
CareerSource Heartland Region | Florida | ||||||||
| Mar-18 | Mar-17 | change | % change | Mar-18 | Mar-17 | change | % change | |||
| Total Employment | 57,986 | 58,274 | -288 | -0.5 | 8,711,226 | 8,530,580 | 180,646 | 2.1 | ||
| Natural Resources and Mining | 7,875 | 7,124 | 751 | 10.5 | 81,933 | 90,685 | -8,752 | -9.7 | ||
| Construction | 2,989 | 4,296 | -1,307 | -30.4 | 533,814 | 498,803 | 35,011 | 7.0 | ||
| Manufacturing | 1,850 | 1,863 | -13 | -0.7 | 368,474 | 362,517 | 5,957 | 1.6 | ||
| Trade, Transportation, and Utilities | 11,373 | 11,065 | 308 | 2.8 | 1,759,346 | 1,726,962 | 32,384 | 1.9 | ||
| Wholesale Trade | 1,141 | 1,053 | 88 | 8.4 | 343,633 | 342,894 | 739 | 0.2 | ||
| Retail Trade | 8,160 | 7,950 | 210 | 2.6 | 1,123,116 | 1,104,959 | 18,157 | 1.6 | ||
| Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities | 2,072 | 2,062 | 10 | 0.5 | 292,597 | 279,109 | 13,488 | 4.8 | ||
| Information | 365 | 260 | 105 | 40.4 | 139,266 | 139,149 | 117 | 0.1 | ||
| Financial Activities | 1,564 | 1,566 | -2 | -0.1 | 566,052 | 552,191 | 13,861 | 2.5 | ||
| Professional and Business Services | 4,294 | 4,639 | -345 | -7.4 | 1,347,198 | 1,310,420 | 37,481 | 2.9 | ||
| Education and Health Services | 9,498 | 9,764 | -266 | -2.7 | 1,284,441 | 1,257,351 | 27,090 | 2.2 | ||
| Leisure and Hospitality | 6,673 | 6,294 | 379 | 6.0 | 1,249,459 | 1,223,733 | 25,726 | 2.1 | ||
| Other Services | 1,248 | 1,205 | 43 | 3.6 | 278,976 | 275,750 | 3,226 | 1.2 | ||
| Government | 10,242 | 10,191 | 51 | 0.5 | 1,094,170 | 1,086,188 | 7,982 | 0.7 | ||
| Population | 2017 | 2016 | change | % change | ||||||
| CareerSource Heartland | 208,761 | 205,551 | 3,210 | 1.6 | ||||||
| DeSoto County | 36,862 | 35,925 | 937 | 2.6 | ||||||
| Hardee County | 27,411 | 27,371 | 40 | 0.1 | ||||||
| Highlands County | 102,883 | 101,558 | 1,325 | 1.3 | ||||||
| Okeechobee County | 41,605 | 40,697 | 908 | 2.2 | ||||||
| Florida | 20,984,400 | 20,656,589 | 327,811 | 1.6 | ||||||
| Average Annual Wage | 2017 | 2016 | change | % change | ||||||
| CareerSource Heartland | $35,363 | $33,552 | 1,811 | 5.4 | ||||||
| DeSoto County | $35,633 | $34,618 | $1,015 | 2.9 | ||||||
| Hardee County | $34,226 | $33,283 | $943 | 2.8 | ||||||
| Highlands County | $33,819 | $32,845 | $974 | 3.0 | ||||||
| Okeechobee County | $39,506 | $34,642 | $4,864 | 14.0 | ||||||
| Florida | $48,460 | $47,055 | $1,405 | 3.0 | ||||||
Note: All data are subject to revision.
Source: Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, Bureau of Labor Market Statistics.