JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – New figures released Friday show the state's unemployment rate dipped to 4.1 percent in June, a slight decline from May's rate of 4.3 percent. Florida's unemployment rate is now below the national rate and hasn't been this low since June 2007.
The state added 19,400 jobs last month. There are an estimated 419,000 people who remain unemployed.
Florida is among the national leaders in overall job growth. The state's jobs have grown by 2.9 percent in the past year, which trails only Nevada and Utah.
Texas and California have added more total jobs than Florida in the past 12 months.
The Jacksonville metropolitan area's rate was slightly higher: 4.2 percent.
In northeast Florida, 6,500 professional and business services jobs were added with 5,600 more in trade, transportation and utilities, according to the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity. Another 5,400 jobs were added in education and health care.
"The Jacksonville area added more than 23,000 new jobs over the past year, which means thousands of families in Northeast Florida are finding the opportunities they need to succeed," Gov. Rick Scott said in a statement.
St. Johns County had the second-lowest unemployment in the state. Monroe County's 2.8 percent was the lowest in the state, while Hendry County has the highest rate at 9.4 percent.