Is Unemployment a Concern in Bloomingdale-Riverview?

While state officials continue to tout an improving climate on the jobs front, seasonally adjusted unemployment rates in Florida rose to 8.8 percent in July.

This, according to the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, comes after two months of state unemployment rates staying at 8.6 percent. Both numbers are higher than the 8.3 percent natural average.

July’s numbers, however, are significantly lower than the 10.6 percent unemployment rate Florida logged in 2011, according to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics. That agency lists several states with unemployment rates much higher than Florida’s. Those that top the list for July 2012 are:

• California, 10.7 percent
• Georgia, 9.3 percent
• Nevada, 12 percent
• Rhode Island, 10.8
• South Carolina, 9.6 percent

North Dakota has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country at 3 percent.

Do you think the employment situation in the area is improving or worsening? Let us know in the comments section. If you’re a business owner, let us know how you feel about the current economic climate. Are you going to hire help this year?