Unemployment falls below 10%

Florida's unemployment rate dropped below 10% for the first time since April 2009, to a seasonally adjusted rate of 9.9% in December 2011, according to the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity.

The jobless rate is down 2.1 percentage points from its peak in December 2010 of 12.0%. '¨

About 75% of the change can be attributed to new jobs created. According to the DEO, Florida employers created 150,000 new jobs over the course of 2011. At the same time, Florida's labor force shrank by 47,000, the DEO estimates.

The job gains essentially kept up with the state's population increase for persons above the age of 16, which the DEO estimated at 142,000 for 2011.

Highlights from jobs gained and lost by industry include:

• Hospitality and leisure: 30,500 jobs, including 23,500 new food service hires
• Retail: +28,900, including 11,600 jobs at clothing and accessory stores;
• Health care: +24,800 jobs
• Professional services (legal, accounting, etc.): +20,700 jobs
• Real estate: +6,300 jobs
• Construction: -1,500 jobs
• Government: -8,200 jobs
• Administrative and support services: -9,100 jobs

The Cape Coral-Fort Myers metro area has the region's highest unemployment rate, at 10.2%. Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater has a 10% unemployment rate, while North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota is at 9.8%. Metro area unemployment rates are not adjusted for seasonal effects.