Employment in Florida’s largest counties increased in most areas between March 2024 and March 2025, according to new data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The BLS reported that out of the 25 largest counties with published data, 20 experienced employment growth during this period.
Victoria G. Lee, Regional Commissioner for the BLS, stated, “Pasco and St. Johns counties had the largest over-the-year increases in employment, with gains of 2.2 percent each.” She also noted that “Pinellas had the largest over-the-year decrease in employment (-1.4 percent).”
Miami-Dade County reported the highest employment among Florida’s large counties at 1,283,000 jobs as of March 2025. Collectively, the state’s 27 largest counties represented nearly 88 percent of total covered employment within Florida. For comparison, the nation’s 372 largest counties made up about 73 percent of total covered employment across the United States.
Wages also rose across all large Florida counties with available data. According to BLS findings, “Duval had the largest gain (+6.8 percent).” Wage increases for other major counties ranged from a high of 6.7 percent to a low of 1.8 percent over the year.
Despite these gains, only two of Florida’s largest counties—Miami-Dade and one other—reported average weekly wages above the national average of $1,589 for March 2025. In Miami-Dade County specifically, average weekly wages reached $1,708; Marion County recorded an average weekly wage at $1,032.
The BLS release also provided figures for smaller Florida counties with fewer than 75,000 employees as measured in 2024. None surpassed the national wage average: Indian River led these smaller jurisdictions with an average weekly wage of $1,306 while Holmes posted the lowest at $773.
Looking statewide at all Florida’s 67 counties: nine posted average weekly wages below $900; twenty-one fell between $900 and $1,024; thirteen were between $1,025 and $1,149; ten were from $1,150 to $1,274; and fourteen reported wages at or above $1,275.
Additional details on state-level QCEW data appear in table three accompanying this release.
National coverage on county-level employment and wage statistics is regularly published by BLS through its County Employment and Wages news releases. More information is accessible via technical notes or directly from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages website.
The next update covering second quarter results for Florida is scheduled for December 3rd.
