INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — The number of unemployed residents in Indian River County jumped in May nearly a full percentage point from 13.3 to 14.2 percent, according to figures released Friday by the Agency for Workforce Innovation.The jump represented an increase from 8,214 unemployed in the county in May to 8,808 in June out of a potential workforce of 62,132. In June of last year unemployment in Indian River County stood at 13.4 percent.
Overall in the state, unemployed dipped slightly in June to 11.7 percent, a 0.3 percent drop from the month before.Hendry County (16.1 percent) had the highest unemployment rate in Florida in June, followed by Flagler County (15.4 percent), St. Lucie County (14.3 percent), Hernando and Indian River counties (14.2 percent each), and Marion County (13.9 percent). Most of the counties with high unemployment rates in the state experienced seasonal declines in agriculture and related industries. Others had continued weakness in construction and financial activities. Liberty County had the state’s lowest unemployment rate (6.8 percent), followed by Monroe and Walton counties (7.4 percent each); Okaloosa County (7.6 percent); Lafayette County (7.9 percent); and Franklin County (8.0 percent). Many of the counties with low unemployment rates have relatively high proportions of government employment, the agency noted in a press release. Others had seasonal increases in tourism and increases in employment related to the Gulf oil spill.