INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — Despite a dip in the unemployment numbers in Indian River County, it still moved from fifth to fourth in the counties in the state with the highest unemployment.Compared to November, the number of jobless people in the county fell from 14.6 percent (8,952 jobless) to 14.1 percent (8,574) or an increase of 378 employed people in the county. Just the same, the county was fourth on the list for the worst unemployment figures ahead of Flager (16.9 percent), Hernando (14.9 percent), St. Lucie (14.2 percent) and behind Marion County at 14 percent. The best places to find work in Florida are Liberty County (6 percent), Monroe (7.2 percent) and Jackson, Leon and Alachua counties (7.7 percent).Overall, the state registered 11.8 percent unemployed, the highest since 11.9 percent recorded in May 1975. The unemployment rate for the country is 10 percent.Construction continued to lead the way in job losses, while health care was Florida’s only employment sector to show an increase.
