Department of Numbers

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Florida Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Tampa rose 0.1 percentage points in March 2023 to 2.6%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.0 percentage points lower than the Florida rate. The unemployment rate in Tampa peaked in May 2020 at 13.3% and is now 10.7 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 2.5% in January 2023, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.1 percentage points. You can also compare Tampa unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate March 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
National 3.5% -0.1 -0.1
Florida 2.6% 0.0 -0.5
Tampa 2.6% +0.1 -0.5
Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.1 All comparisons are made with March 2023 data as April 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 161,733 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 972. Tampa employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Tampa, Florida) is also available.

Unemployed Persons March 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
Tampa 43,058 +833 -6,979

Number of Unemployed Persons

Tampa, Florida Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate
Florida
Unemployment Rate
Tampa
Unemployment Rate
Tampa
Unemployed
April
2023
3.4%
March
2023
3.5% 2.6% 2.6% 43,058
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
October
2022
3.7% 2.7% 2.6% 42,992
September
2022
3.5% 2.7% 2.6% 43,238
August
2022
3.7% 2.7% 2.6% 43,631
July
2022
3.5% 2.7% 2.7% 44,243
June
2022
3.6% 2.8% 2.7% 45,264
May
2022
3.6% 2.9% 2.8% 46,676

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.