PENSACOLA — The latest area jobs report shows the Okaloosa County metro area registered 81,900 jobs in October, seasonally adjusted on non-farm payrolls. This was 1,400 more jobs compared to October 2013.
The 1.7 percent increase for the Fort Walton Beach area was in line with the national increase of 1.9 percent, but it's slower than the state increase of 2.7 percent.
The metro area unemployment rate (not seasonally adjusted) was 4.5 percent, down from 4.8 percent for October 2013. That is the lowest rate among Florida’s 22 metro areas.
Of the 10 major economic sectors, natural resources, which includes construction, turned in the strongest performance, accounting for 700 jobs, or 50 percent of total job growth, over the year.
The government sector (federal, state and local) is the single largest employer in the local economy, accounting for 20 percent of all employment. However, employment in that sector was unchanged from a year ago at 16,400 jobs.
The manufacturing sector lost about 300 jobs compared to a year ago, and the finance, insurance and real estate sector lost about 100 jobs over the year.
Education and health care employment were unchanged.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Okaloosa-area payrolls grow in October