DeSantis celebrates Florida’s strong labor market, remains committed to eliminating taxes and making people richer
Florida – Florida’s labor market continues to show remarkable resilience, as Governor Ron DeSantis announced that the state’s labor force exceeded 11.1 million in January 2025. With job gains almost across all key sectors, the new numbers show Florida’s ongoing economic strength. Manufacturing employment, in particular, reached 430,800 jobs, reinforcing the state’s reputation as a leader in industrial expansion.
Updated figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) strengthened Florida’s financial standing even more by showing that the labor force of the state has been regularly higher than previously projected. A notable increase of 162,000 workers shows that, in 10 of the past 12 months, Florida’s workforce expansion remained steady or grew. These changes highlight Florida’s capacity to keep a consistent economic a pattern in front of continuous national and international uncertainty.
Governor DeSantis credited the state’s fiscal discipline and pro-business policies for this sustained growth.
“Florida continues to prove that leadership and conservative fiscal policies drive success,” said Governor Ron DeSantis in a release. “We will keep the momentum going by insisting on reducing government spending, continuing to eliminate bureaucracy, and finding more tax reductions for Floridians.”
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With a 1.3% rise, the state created 113,600 jobs throughout last year. Florida’s workforce grew 54 of the last 57 months starting in May 2020, indicating robust and sustained economic activity. Specifically, over the same period Florida’s private sector job growth rate of 1.3% exceeded the national rate of 1.2%. Since November 2020, Florida’s unemployment rate has also stayed below the national average for 51 straight months, proving its economic strength and capacity to create job prospects.
“Under Governor DeSantis’ decisive leadership, Florida continues to generate wins,” said Secretary of Commerce J. Alex Kelly. “These revised numbers demonstrate Florida’s unique resiliency and the strength and efficacy of Governor DeSantis’ approach to economic and workforce development—creating an environment that promotes future growth and builds confidence in job seekers and job creators.”
Industry-specific statistics shows a lot of employment generation. With 7,200 new employment in January alone—a 0.5% rise from the month before—the education and health services industries led the way. Notable increases also came in leisure and hospitality, which added 6,101 jobs (+0.5%), indicating robust demand in the travel and entertainment sectors.
Florida has a wealth of tools meant to link job seekers with companies. While CareerSource Florida provides career counseling, resume help, and training programs, the state’s Employ Florida portal offers employment matching services. Programs like Apprentice Florida and Veterans Florida also guarantee that military personnel and trained professionals can find fulfilling jobs.
There are more than 393,000 job openings throughout Florida, so people looking for work have plenty of choices. Helping Floridians improve their employability by skill development and smart job placement, the CareerSource Florida network remains a critical resource for career counseling and training.
With a booming labor market, the state’s emphasis on workforce development and economic growth is paying off. Governor DeSantis continues to be committed to measures that maintain this momentum so that Florida stays a top choice for investors, companies, and workers.
To view the January 2025 jobs reports by region, click here.
