Jacksonville Job Market: Unemployment, Jobs by Sector & What It Means for Housing (July 2026)
In July 2026 (preliminary), the Jacksonville metro's unemployment rate was 4.9%, up from 4.3% a year earlier, with 800,200 nonfarm jobs — +2,900 jobs (+0.4%) over 12 months and a labor force of 847,772,000. The fastest-growing sectors were Education & health services (+5.7k), Professional & business services (+1.5k), Manufacturing (+0.8k); Other services (-0.2k), Information (-0.5k) shed jobs. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (LAUS and CES for the Jacksonville MSA), not seasonally adjusted; the latest month is preliminary and is revised the following month.
Jobs are the demand side of the housing market: a metro that adds workers faster than it adds homes keeps prices firm even when rates are high. This page tracks the Jacksonville MSA (Duval, St. Johns, Clay, Nassau and Baker counties) from the BLS monthly releases and sits next to the Jacksonville housing market report and homes for sale in Jacksonville, FL.
Unemployment rate, last 24 months
| Month | Unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| July 2026 (p) | 4.9% |
| June 2026 | 4.8% |
| May 2026 | 4.7% |
| April 2026 | 4.8% |
| March 2026 | 4.7% |
| February 2026 | 5.0% |
| January 2026 | 5.2% |
| December 2025 | 4.7% |
| November 2025 | 5.1% |
| September 2025 | 4.4% |
| August 2025 | 4.4% |
| July 2025 | 4.3% |
| June 2025 | 4.2% |
| May 2025 | 3.7% |
| April 2025 | 3.5% |
| March 2025 | 3.6% |
| February 2025 | 3.6% |
| January 2025 | 3.7% |
| December 2024 | 3.2% |
| November 2024 | 3.6% |
| October 2024 | 3.5% |
| September 2024 | 3.5% |
| August 2024 | 3.9% |
| July 2024 | 3.9% |
Over these 24 months the rate ranged from 3.2% (December 2024) to 5.2% (January 2026). Not seasonally adjusted: summer months run higher (school-year workers, tourism) and December–April lower, so compare a month with the same month a year earlier, not with last month.
Employment by sector, July 2026 vs a year earlier
| Sector | Jobs | 12-month change |
|---|---|---|
| Education & health services | 139,800 | +5,700 (+4.3%) |
| Professional & business services | 119,200 | +1,500 (+1.3%) |
| Manufacturing | 37,300 | +800 (+2.2%) |
| Leisure & hospitality | 93,400 | +700 (+0.8%) |
| Trade, transportation & utilities | 170,400 | +600 (+0.4%) |
| Construction | 54,200 | +200 (+0.4%) |
| Other services | 29,300 | -200 (-0.7%) |
| Information | 13,700 | -500 (-3.5%) |
| Government | 74,200 | -2,000 (-2.6%) |
| Financial activities | 68,300 | -3,900 (-5.4%) |
Sector counts come from the BLS establishment survey (CES) and are in thousands, rounded; a sector's 12-month change is a better signal than its level, because the level is revised every March with the annual benchmark.
What this means for Jacksonville housing
Adding 2,900 jobs in a year while new-home permitting keeps running (see the development and growth page) is the combination that has kept Jacksonville prices flat-to-firm rather than falling: demand from new workers is absorbing the new supply. The sectors that matter most for home buying are the ones with above-median wages and steady hours — financial activities, professional and business services, health care and construction — and their direction in the table above is the number to watch. For where those workers buy, see best neighborhoods in Jacksonville, moving to Jacksonville and the cost of living in Jacksonville.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) and Current Employment Statistics (CES), not seasonally adjusted; latest months are preliminary. Area: Jacksonville, FL Metropolitan Statistical Area (CBSA 27260). Pulled 2026-09-18; this page rebuilds with every nightly ship.