PALM COAST, FL (March 11, 2024) – Flagler County’s unemployment rate has surged to 4.1% in January 2024, the highest rate in 26 months (November 2021), according to the January 2024 data release from Florida Commerce.
“Flagler County is growing. The number of employed residents has grown by over 1,100 in the past year and our labor force has grown by over 1,400 residents during that same time,” said Greg Blosé, President & CEO, Palm Coast-Flagler Regional Chamber of Commerce. “However, our unemployment rate now exceeds 4%, which is a product of the number of residents in the unemployment line, which is also growing.”
Blosé continued, “Flagler County’s economy usually cools down during the winter months after the holiday shopping season. This is because approximately 1/3 of all local jobs are based on tourism and retail jobs. These retail-based employees typically work short-term jobs during the holiday months, before being re-hired prior to Flagler’s spring and summer peak tourism season. We expect the unemployment number to remain flat or decline in the coming months as tourism and retail-based hiring begins to increase with the return of warmer weather and visitors to our community.”
The number of Flagler County residents that are employed (either working in this county or another county) checked in at 49,618 in January 2024. This represents a growth of 1,134 employed residents compared to January 2023’s jobs report.
The number of unemployed job-seeking residents in Flagler County measured at 2,130 in January 2024, an increase of 303 residents compared to January 2023’s data.
The Flagler County labor force is reported at 51,748 residents, an increase of 1,437 residents compared to January 2023.
For more information, contact Greg Blosé, President and CEO of the Palm Coast-Flagler Regional Chamber, at 386-846-1864 or via email at Greg@PCFChamber.com. Learn more about the Chamber by visiting our website, www.PCFChamber.com
