Florida’s unemployment rate dropped for the third month in a row in August, with Miami-Dade County leading the state.
Florida’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.5% in August, down from 4.6% in July, 4.7% in June and 4.8% in May, according to Florida Commerce.
The August unemployment rate was up 0.5 percentage points from the year prior, according to the organization. Nationwide, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.1% in August.
Florida counties with the lowest unemployment in August
In August of 2026, Miami-Dade County had the “state’s lowest unemployment rate,” according to Florida Commerce, not seasonally adjusted.
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Miami-Dade had an unemployment rate of 2.7%.
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Monroe County had an unemployment rate of 3.3%.
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Wakulla County had an unemployment rate of 4.1%.
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Walton County had an unemployment rate of 4.3%.
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Seminole County had an unemployment rate of 4.3%
Florida counties with the highest unemployment in August
In August of 2026, Taylor County had the state’s “highest unemployment rate,” according to Florida Commerce, not seasonally adjusted.
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Taylor County had an unemployment rate of 8.2%
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Sumter County had an unemployment rate of 7.9%
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Highlands County had an unemployment rate of 6.8%.
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Citrus County had an unemployment rate of 6.7%.
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Hamilton County had unemployment rate of 6.5%.
Miami-Dade’s cost of living surpassed New York’s, national average
The Miami area’s cost of living surpassed that of New York, according to the most recent regional price comparison data available from the Bureau of Economic Analysis.
The report, which analyzes 2024 data, compares differences in “price levels across states and metropolitan areas” — though both regions had price levels above the national average, the Miami area beat New York in terms of overall expense.
Regional price parities, which the report uses to compare area price levels, have a national average set at 100. If an area’s RPP is 120, for instance, then price levels there are 20% higher than the U.S. average.
The Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach metropolitan statistical area had an “all items RPP” of 114.155 — a value that includes all “consumption goods and services,” and also covers “housing rents.” The New York-Newark-Jersey City metropolitan statistical area, by contrast, had a lower “all items RPP” value of 112.563.
Sarah Perkel is a South Florida Connect Reporter for the USA TODAY Network’s Florida Connect team. You can get all of Florida’s best content directly in your inbox each weekday day by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Florida’s Miami-Dade County led with lowest August unemployment rate
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