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Employment by Industry
Employment by Industry
Southwest Florida had an average monthly employment of 399,710 in 2020, according to data provided by the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) – down from 414,151 in 2019 (a 3.5 percent decrease). QCEW data is based on employees covered by the Florida unemployment insurance, so it does not include workers who are self-employed. Retail trade is the largest industry in Southwest Florida, with an average monthly employment of 70,805, representing 17.7 percent of all employment in the region (as shown in Chart 3-1 and Table 3-1).
The second largest industry employer is health care and social assistance, with 58,190 employees and 14.6 percent of regional employment. The third largest industry is accommodation and food services at 54,855, which represents 13.7 percent of the region’s employment. Construction is the fourth largest industry with 54,101 employees (13.5 percent of the region’s employment). The top four industries comprise 59.5 percent of the region’s workforce, a slight dip from 2019 (which reported 60.2 percent of the regions workforce). The fifth largest industry is administrative and waste services, employing 29,239 workers (7.3 percent of the region’s workforce). This industry includes many service-type occupations.
Southwest Florida has a comparative advantage in weather (sunshine and mild winter temperatures), beaches, and recreational activities. These quality-of-life characteristics are drivers that support the key industries in Southwest Florida, such as retail trade, health care, accommodation and food services, construction, and support services. Population growth has been a strong driver of wealth for the region, creating the need for housing, recreation, and services.
Southwest Florida 2020
Industry
Retail Trade Health Care and Social Assistance Accommodation and Food Services Construction Administrative and Waste Services Professional and Technical Services Other Services, Except Public Administration Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation Manufacturing Wholesale Trade Other Industry Sectors
Average Monthly Employment
70,805 58,190 54,855 54,101 29,239 22,861 16,412 15,090 12,415 12,145 53,597
Total, All Industries
399,710
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages
Percent of Total Employment
17.7% 14.6% 13.7% 13.5% 7.3% 5.7% 4.1% 3.8% 3.1% 3.0% 13.4%
