Department of Numbers

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Florida Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Tampa fell 0.0 percentage points in November 2023 to 3.0%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.1 percentage points higher than the Florida rate. The unemployment rate in Tampa peaked in May 2020 at 13.3% and is now 10.3 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 2.5% in January 2023, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.5 percentage points. You can also compare Tampa unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate November 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
National 3.7% -0.1 +0.1
Florida 2.9% +0.1 +0.2
Tampa 3.0% 0.0 +0.4
Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.1 All comparisons are made with November 2023 data as December metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Tampa, Florida, National

Tampa, Florida monthly unemployment rate chart

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Tampa, Florida Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Tampa peaked in May 2020 at 204,791. There are now 152,163 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 42,086 in January 2023, the number of unemployed has now grown by 10,542. Tampa employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Tampa, Florida) is also available.

Unemployed Persons November 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
Tampa 52,628 +1,175 +9,622

Number of Unemployed Persons

Tampa, Florida Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate
Florida
Unemployment Rate
Tampa
Unemployment Rate
Tampa
Unemployed
December
2023
3.7%
November
2023
3.7% 2.9% 3.0% 52,628
October
2023
3.8% 2.8% 3.0% 51,453
September
2023
3.8% 2.8% 2.9% 49,894
August
2023
3.8% 2.7% 2.8% 48,273
July
2023
3.5% 2.7% 2.7% 47,000
June
2023
3.6% 2.6% 2.7% 45,847
May
2023
3.7% 2.6% 2.6% 44,941
April
2023
3.4% 2.6% 2.6% 43,564
March
2023
3.5% 2.6% 2.6% 43,068
February
2023
3.6% 2.6% 2.5% 42,225
January
2023
3.4% 2.6% 2.5% 42,086

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.