NEWS RELEASE – City of Palm Coast
Contact: Beau Falgout, Senior Economic Development Planner
(386) 986-3796
Oct. 30, 2012

Employment trends improving in Palm Coast, state report shows

Palm Coast, Fla. – Palm Coast and Ocala led all of Florida's metro areas with the largest over-the-year unemployment rate drop from September 2011 to September 2012 – each with a 2.6 percentage point decrease (not seasonally adjusted), a new state report shows.

Total employment in Palm Coast surpassed 30,000 for the first time ever in September 2012 – reflecting steady growth in jobs since the low of 27,716 in October 2009. (See attached chart.) During this period, more than 2,500 new jobs were created in Palm Coast.

"The City has a major commitment to economic development and to growing the economy one job at a time," said City Manager Jim Landon. "We're pleased to see our unemployment numbers moving in the right direction, though we know we still have work to do."

As part of Palm Coast's Prosperity 2021 plan, the City supports existing businesses through the Business Assistance Center and offers sports tournaments and special events that boost the local economy by attracting visitors to Palm Coast.

"Residents can help grow our economy and create jobs, too, by supporting small, local businesses," said Beau Falgout, senior economic development planner for the City. "A great way to do that would be at our upcoming Small Business Saturday events on Nov. 2, Nov. 24 and Dec. 2. If everyone in our community spent $25 at a small business, it would generate $1 million in economic impact locally."

A report released Tuesday by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity shows that overall, 12 of the state's 22 metro areas experienced declines in their unemployment rates of 2.0 percentage points or greater during the same time period. Palm Coast, along with Ocala, topped the list. This fall is the first time since 2009 that Palm Coast's unemployment rate dropped below 12 percent. (See state's news release here.)

"I'm proud of the progress these regions have made in leading our state to another month of declining unemployment rates and getting their residents back to work," said Gov. Rick Scott. "They are proof of the positive business climate we've created and the success we're having in ensuring that Florida is the No.1 place for employers to move, start or grow their business."

View the chart