Southwest Florida vs. State of Florida Employment

Southwest Florida has a higher percentage of employees in retail trade, accommodation and food services, construction, other services (except public administration), arts, entertainment, and recreation, real estate and rental and leasing, and agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting when compared to the State of Florida. Southwest Florida’s comparative advantage as a preferred location for tourism and retirement certainly helps to explain why the region differs from the state. The largest positive differentials between Southwest Florida and the state include construction (5.9 percent greater than the state of Florida), retail trade (3.4 percent), accommodation and food services (2.6 percent), arts, entertainment, and recreation (1.3 percent), and agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting (1.2 percent).

The largest negative differentials between the region and the state include finance and insurance (2.5 percent below the state of Florida), professional and technical services (2.4 percent), transportation and warehousing (2.2 percent), manufacturing (2.0 percent), and wholesale trade (1.6 percent).

Southwest Florida vs. State of Florida 2020

Industry Construction Retail Trade Accommodation and Food Services Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting Other Services, Except Public Administration Real Estate and Rental and Leasing Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction Utilities Unclassified Information Health Care and Social Assistance Management of Companies and Enterprises Educational Services Administrative and Waste Services Wholesale Trade Manufacturing Transportation and Warehousing Professional and Technical Services Finance and Insurance

Florida

7.6% 14.3% 11.1% 2.5% 0.9% 3.4% 2.5% 0.1% 0.3% 0.1% 1.8% 15.3% 1.5% 2.2% 8.7% 4.6% 5.1% 4.3% 8.1% 5.4% Source: Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, Bureau of Labor Statistics

Southwest Florida

13.5% 17.7% 13.7% 3.8% 2.1% 4.1% 3.0% 0.1% 0.3% 0.1% 1.0% 14.6% 0.7% 1.1% 7.3% 3.0% 3.1% 2.1% 5.7% 2.9%

Difference

5.9% 3.4% 2.6% 1.3% 1.2% 0.7% 0.5% 0.0% 0.0% -0.1% -0.7% -0.8% -0.8% -1.0% -1.4% -1.6% -2.0% -2.2% -2.4% -2.5%