Employment in Florida’s largest counties increased in most areas from March 2024 to March 2025, according to data released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Pasco and St. Johns counties led with a 2.2 percent rise each, while Pinellas experienced the largest decrease at 1.4 percent.
Miami-Dade County had the highest employment numbers among Florida’s largest counties, with 1,283,000 jobs reported in March 2025. The state’s 27 largest counties represented nearly 88 percent of total covered employment within Florida during this period. Across the United States, large counties accounted for over 73 percent of all covered employment.
All major Florida counties with available data saw increases in average weekly wages over the year. Duval County recorded the highest wage growth at 6.8 percent, while other large counties reported gains ranging from 6.7 percent to 1.8 percent.
Only two of Florida’s largest counties posted average weekly wages above the national figure of $1,589: Miami-Dade at $1,708 and another county not specified here; Marion County had one of the lowest averages among large counties at $1,032 per week.
Data also covered smaller Florida counties with fewer than 75,000 employed residents in 2024. In these areas, Indian River reported the highest average weekly wage at $1,306 and Holmes had the lowest at $773—all below the national average.
Across all Florida’s 67 counties, nine reported average weekly wages under $900; twenty-one were between $900 and $1,024; thirteen fell between $1,025 and $1,149; ten ranged from $1,150 to $1,274; and fourteen reached or exceeded $1,275 per week.
Regional Commissioner Victoria G. Lee stated: “Pasco and St. Johns counties had the largest over-the-year increases in employment, with gains of 2.2 percent each.”
More information on county-level employment trends is published regularly by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics through its Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages program (https://www.bls.gov/cew/). Nationwide figures for large county employment are available via their dedicated news releases (https://www.bls.gov/news.release/cewqtr.nr0.htm).
The next report covering second quarter data for 2025 is set for release on December 3.
