FloridaCommerce Announces the West Palm Beach Area March 2024 Employment Data

FloridaCommerce Announces West Palm Beach Area Adds 6,800 Private Sector Jobs Over the Year in March 2024

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Today, FloridaCommerce announced that the West Palm Beach metro area added 6,800 new private sector jobs over the year in March 2024, a 1.1 percent increase. The West Palm Beach area labor force increased by 9,811 in March 2024, an over the year increase of 1.3 percent.

The West Palm Beach area unemployment rate was 3.3 percent in March 2024, up 0.6 percentage point from 2.7 percent in March 2023. The industry gaining the most jobs over the year was education and health services, increasing by 6,900 jobs.

Florida’s private sector job growth rate continues to outpace the nation. Florida’s private sector job growth rate increased by 2.1 percent (+179,800 jobs) over the year in March 2024, faster than the national rate of 1.7 percent. Florida employers have added jobs in 45 of the last 47 months since May 2020.

In March, the education and health services sector gained the most jobs among all major industries, adding 12,500 jobs (+0.8 percent) from the previous month, followed by construction, adding 3,600 jobs (+0.6 percent). The national unemployment rate was 3.8 percent for March 2024, 0.6 percentage point higher than Florida’s rate of 3.2 percent. Florida’s unemployment rate has been lower than the national rate for 41 consecutive months.

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