Department of Numbers

Lakeland-Winter Haven, Florida Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Lakeland fell 0.3 percentage points in March 2013 to 8.5%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 1.0 percentage points higher than the Florida rate. The unemployment rate in Lakeland peaked in November 2010 at 12.6% and is now 4.1 percentage points lower. You can also compare Lakeland unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate March 2013 Month/Month Year/Year
National 7.6% -0.1 -0.6
Florida 7.5% -0.3 -1.4
Lakeland 8.5% -0.3 -1.8
Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.1 All comparisons are made with March 2013 data as April metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Lakeland, Florida, National

Lakeland, Florida monthly unemployment rate chart

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Lakeland, Florida Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Lakeland peaked in November 2010 at 34,820. There are now 11,968 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. Lakeland employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Lakeland, Florida) is also available.

Unemployed Persons March 2013 Month/Month Year/Year
Lakeland 22,852 -905 -5,031

Number of Unemployed Persons

Lakeland, Florida Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate
Florida
Unemployment Rate
Lakeland
Unemployment Rate
Lakeland
Unemployed
April
2013
7.5% 7.2%
March
2013
7.6% 7.5% 8.5% 22,852
February
2013
7.7% 7.8% 8.8% 23,757
January
2013
7.9% 7.9% 9.0% 24,352
December
2012
7.8% 7.9% 9.1% 24,672
November
2012
7.8% 8.0% 9.2% 24,919
October
2012
7.9% 8.2% 9.3% 25,241
September
2012
7.8% 8.4% 9.4% 25,616
August
2012
8.1% 8.6% 9.6% 26,024
July
2012
8.2% 8.7% 9.7% 26,438
June
2012
8.2% 8.8% 9.9% 26,836
May
2012
8.2% 8.8% 10.0% 27,205
April
2012
8.1% 8.9% 10.2% 27,547

1. Metro area unemployment rates are now seasonally adjusted. The BLS has started publishing smoothed seasonally adjusted metropolitan area data which makes comparisons to state and national data more relevant than the unadjusted numbers.