Department of Numbers

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Florida Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Tampa rose 0.1 percentage points in September 2023 to 2.9%. 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 10.4 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 2.5% in January 2023, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.4 percentage points. You can also compare Tampa unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate September 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
National 3.8% 0.0 +0.3
Florida 2.8% +0.1 +0.1
Tampa 2.9% +0.1 +0.3
Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.1 All comparisons are made with September 2023 data as October 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 154,885 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 7,820. Tampa employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Tampa, Florida) is also available.

Unemployed Persons September 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
Tampa 49,906 +1,633 +6,668

Number of Unemployed Persons

Tampa, Florida Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate
Florida
Unemployment Rate
Tampa
Unemployment Rate
Tampa
Unemployed
October
2023
3.9% 2.8%
September
2023
3.8% 2.8% 2.9% 49,906
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
December
2022
3.5% 2.7% 2.6% 43,071
November
2022
3.6% 2.7% 2.6% 43,006

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.