Unemployment across the six-county CareerSource Northeast Florida region was 5.0 percent in July 2026, according to the Florida Department of Commerce. That is up from 4.9 percent in June and 4.4 percent in July 2025, and it sits 0.4 percentage point above Florida’s rate of 4.6 percent.
The region’s labor force was 877,260 in July, down 4,775 people (0.5 percent) from a year ago. Of those, 43,654 were unemployed.
County by county
| Area | July 2026 | June 2026 | July 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baker County | 5.2% | 4.9% | 4.4% |
| Clay County | 4.9% | 4.8% | 4.3% |
| Duval County | 5.0% | 4.9% | 4.4% |
| Nassau County | 4.6% | 4.5% | 4.0% |
| Putnam County | 5.8% | 5.7% | 5.2% |
| St. Johns County | 4.8% | 4.7% | 4.1% |
| CareerSource Northeast Florida | 5.0% | 4.9% | 4.4% |
| Jacksonville MSA | 4.9% | 4.8% | 4.3% |
| Florida | 4.6% | 4.6% | 4.1% |
| United States | 4.4% | 4.4% | 4.6% |
Nassau County had the lowest rate in the region at 4.6 percent, followed by St. Johns at 4.8 and Clay at 4.9. Putnam County stayed the highest at 5.8 percent. Every county moved up between one and three tenths of a point from June, and all six sit higher than they did a year ago.
Jobs are still being added in the metro
Nonagricultural employment in the Jacksonville metro area reached 800,200 in July, an increase of 2,900 jobs (0.4 percent) over the year. Four industries grew faster here than they did statewide: education and health services (up 4.3 percent), manufacturing (up 2.2 percent), professional and business services (up 1.3 percent), and trade, transportation and utilities (up 0.4 percent).
Manufacturing is worth a second look. The Jacksonville metro added 800 manufacturing jobs over the year, the second largest annual gain of any metro area in Florida.
Industries that gained jobs over the year:
- Education and health services, 5,700 jobs
- Professional and business services, 1,500
- Manufacturing, 800
- Leisure and hospitality, 700
- Trade, transportation and utilities, 600
- Mining, logging and construction, 200
Industries that lost jobs over the year were financial activities (down 3,900 jobs), government (down 2,000), information (down 500) and other services (down 200).
What employers are advertising for
The five most in-demand occupations in the region right now, counted by current openings, are retail salespersons (1,358), fast food and counter workers (1,041), first-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers (896), first-line supervisors of retail sales workers (894) and registered nurses (819). That is just over 5,000 openings in five occupations, and two of the five are supervisory roles.
Get help finding your next job
If you are one of the 43,654 people counted as unemployed in July, CareerSource Northeast Florida career centers can help at no cost: resume review, interview preparation, training assistance for in-demand occupations, and direct introductions to employers who are hiring now. Call (904) 356-JOBS or stop by a center in Baker, Clay, Duval, Nassau, Putnam or St. Johns county.
Download the full July 2026 employment report (PDF)
Source: Florida Department of Commerce, Bureau of Workforce Statistics and Economic Research. Rates are not seasonally adjusted. All data are subject to revision.