By The Numbers: April 2011
March employment figures grew in a positive direction for both Florida and the United States, although at 11.1%, Florida is still experiencing an unemployment rate that is 2.3% higher than the national average. Overall five industry categories posted year over job growth in Florida with the Leisure and Hospitality industry leading the state with an estimated 35,300 job gains since last year. Of concern on the horizon, consumer confidence at both the state and national level is experiencing turbulence, due to the increase price of oil and food, which has the potential to slow economic recovery.
Employment Data
March Employment
Florida: 7,205,300(up from 7,184,200)
Source: Agency for Workforce Innovation
U.S.: 130,738,000(up from 130,515,000)
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
March Unemployment
Florida: 11.1%(slightly down from 11.5% in February)
Source: Agency for Workforce Innovation
U.S.: 8.8%(slighty down from 8.9% in February)
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
March Employment by Industry (U.S.)
Biggest year-over gainers:
- Leisure and Hospitality (3.9%)*
- Education & Health Services (1.9%)
Source: Agency for Workforce Innovation
Biggest year-over losses:
- Construction (4.2%)
- Information (3.1%)*
Source: Agency for Workforce Innovation
*Indicates a change
Consumer Data
March Consumer Sentiment Index
Florida: 72 (from 76* from February)
Source: Bureau of Economic and Business Research
U.S.: 67.5 (from 77.5 in February)
Source: Reuters/University of Michigan Surveys of Consumers (1964=100)
*Revised Data
March Consumer Price Index
U.S.: (0.5% over February, 2.7% year-over)
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
March Retail Sales
U.S.: $389.3 billion (0.4% from February, 7.1% year-over)
Source: US Census Bureau/Retail
Housing Data
March Foreclosures
Florida: Total units 19,710 (950 units, 5.1% over February, 66.6% year-over)
Source: Agency for Workforce Innovation
March Median Sales Price, Single-Family Existing Homes
Florida: $126,300 (7% year-over)
Source: Florida Realtors
February Housing Starts (one month lag)
Florida: 2,110 (2.1% from January, 26.6% year-over)
Source: Agency for Workforce Innovation and US Census Bureau
Housing Sales: 4th Quarter, 2010
Florida: 41,680 units (19.9% from Q3, 4.2% year-over)
Source: National Association of Realtors
Note: All data is seasonally adjusted when available.
Definitions
Seasonally adjusted – Seasonal adjustment removes the effects of events (i.e. holidays) that follow a more or less regular pattern each year. These adjustments make it easier to observe the cyclical and other nonseasonal movements in a data series.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
