RWB19 


Overview of the CareerSource Heartland Region

Not Seasonally Adjusted

July 20, 2018

 

• The unemployment rate in the CareerSource Heartland region (DeSoto, Hardee, Highlands,

     and Okeechobee counties) was 4.9 percent in June 2018. This rate was 0.4 percentage point

     lower than the region's year ago rate of 5.3 percent. The labor force was 76,113, down -186

(-0.2) over the year. There were 3,713 unemployed residents in the region.

• Okeechobee County had the lowest unemployment rate (4.1 percent) in the CareerSource

     Heartland region followed by DeSoto County (4.2 percent), Highlands County (5.4 percent),

and Hardee County (5.5 percent).

 • Employment by industry in the CareerSource Heartland region totaled 57,960 jobs in

December 2017 (the latest available data). Industry employment increased by 2.7 percent

over the year.

• The annual job growth rates for information (+24.3 percent); natural resources and mining

(+16.5 percent); construction (+13.3 percent); other services (+7.0 percent); and leisure and

hospitality (+4.3 percent) exceeded those of the state.

• The CareerSource Heartland region’s industry employment increased by 1,540 jobs over

the year in December 2017. Seven of the 11 industries added jobs over the year. The

industries that gained the most jobs included: natural resources and mining (+1,118 jobs);

construction (+349 jobs); leisure and hospitality (+256 jobs); and trade, transportation,

and utilities (+116 jobs).

• In June 2018 nonagricultural employment in the Sebring MSA was 24,700, an decrease of

300 jobs (-1.2 percent) over the year.

 

Note: All data are subject to revision.
Source: Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, Bureau of Labor Market Statistics.

    Unemployment Rates (%)
    (not seasonally adjusted)		              
  Jun-18 May-18 Jun-17              
 CareerSource Heartland 4.9 3.9 5.3              
    DeSoto County 4.2 3.1 4.7              
    Hardee County 5.5 4.2 6.1              
    Highlands County 5.4 4.4 5.8              
    Okeechobee County 4.1 3.2 4.5              
 Florida 3.9 3.4 4.3              
 United States 4.2 3.6 4.5              
                     
     

 Employment by Industry
 Covered by Unemployment Compensation
 (not seasonally adjusted)

     CareerSource Heartland Region       Florida  
Dec-17 Dec-16 change % change   Dec-17 Dec-16 change % change  
 Total Employment 57,960 56,420 1,540 2.7   8,714,287 8,542,224 172,063 2.0  
    Natural Resources and Mining 7,881 6,763 1,118 16.5   81,743 89,791 -8,048 -9.0  
    Construction 2,982 2,633 349 13.3   518,526 490,882 27,644 5.6  
    Manufacturing 1,735 1,870 -135 -7.2   367,843 330,265 7,578 2.1  
    Trade, Transportation, and Utilities 11,527 11,411 116 1.0   1,822,524 1,788,852 33,627 1.9  
       Wholesale Trade  1,093 1,054 39 3.7   348,036 344,821 3,215 0.9  
       Retail Trade 8,356 8,316 40 0.5   1,173,408 1,156,868 16,540 1.4  
       Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities 2,078 2,041 37 1.8   301,080 287,163 13,917 4.8  
    Information 333 268 65 24.3   139,035 137,359 1,676 1.2  
    Financial Activities 1,570 1,552 18 1.2   566,535 555,574 10,961 2.0  
    Professional and Business Services 4,716 4,896 -177 -3.6   1,358,198 1,318,009 40,189 3.0  
    Education and Health Services 9,519 9,608 -89 -0.9   1,279,804 1,253,110 26,694 2.1  
    Leisure and Hospitality 6,240 5,984 256 4.3   1,206,667 1,183,775 22,892 1.9  
    Other Services 1,245 1,164 81 7.0   278,592 276,937 1,655 0.6  
    Government 10,199 10,270 -71 -0.7   1,086,940 1,082,558 4,382 0.4  
                     
 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.