Employment Seasonality

Southwest Florida is often characterized as experiencing seasonal fluctuations in employment levels throughout the year. However, fluctuations in employment levels are different for each industry, with some industries facing severe fluctuations from one month to the next, while others exhibiting little to no fluctuation. In this section, we analyze how Southwest Florida compares with other workforce regions in the state, as well as identify which industries display the largest seasonal fluctuations in Southwest Florida and each of the coastal counties (Charlotte, Collier, and Lee).

Because each workforce region is different, we identify the month with the highest employment and lowest employment levels for each workforce region. Seasonal fluctuation is then determined by dividing the total employment during the lowest month by the total employment during the highest month. Lower ratios represent a workforce region with a larger seasonal fluctuation, while numbers with a higher ratio represent a lower season fluctuation. Table 3-7 shows the results from those rankings. Southwest Florida exhibited the third highest seasonal fluctuation between the highest month of employment (February) and the lowest month of employment (April).

Table 3-7: Largest Seasonal Fluctuation by Workforce Region

2020

Ranking Workforce Region Employment Lowest Month Highest Month Lowest/Highest Ratio

1 Central Florida 943,800 May 1,191,083 February

2 South Florida

873,240 April 1,076,271 February

3 Southwest Florida 353,369 April 434,131 February 0.79 0.81 0.81

4 Palm Beach County 463,268 April 563,240 February 5 6 7 Broward Suncoast Okaloosa Walton 597,084 April 723,792 February 233,587 April 280,587 February 78,275 April 93,629 March

8 9 Flagler Volusia Gulf Coast 148,369 April 176,355 February 56,949 April 67,690 March

10 11 12 Research Coast Pinellas Capital Region

156,232 April 182,922 February 340,870 April 399,041 February 102,669 April 119,512 February 13 North Central Florida 88,761 April 102,668 February

14 Tampa Bay 559,234 April 644,697 February

15 16

Brevard Pasco Hernando 170,035 April 195,576 February 127,220 April 146,266 February

0.82 0.82 0.83 0.84 0.84 0.84 0.85 0.85 0.86 0.86 0.87 0.87 0.87

17 18 Northeast Florida Escarosa

551,080 April 630,515 February 134,637 April 152,732 March 19 Citrus Levy Marion 113,472 April 128,240 February

0.87 0.88 0.88

20 Polk 188,865 April 209,655 December 0.90

21 22 23 Florida Crown Heartland North Florida 22,836 41,437 20,510 April 25,322 November 0.90 April 45,529 February

0.91

April 22,140 February

0.93

24 Chipola 18,172 April 19,352 December 0.94 Source: Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, Bureau of Labor Statistics

Table 3-8 shows the industries with the most fluctuation in employment between February and April in Southwest Florida. The agriculture industry had the highest seasonal fluctuation between February and April, followed by the arts, entertainment, and recreation industry, transportation and warehousing industry, and accommodation and food services industry, and retail trade. The industries with the highest fluctuations also represented sectors with large employment numbers, as seven of the top 10 industries with the highest seasonal fluctuations also represent the top 10 largest industries for the region.

Table 3-8: Seasonal Fluctuation by Industry

Southwest Florida - 2020 Employment Apr/Feb Ranking Industry

Ratio

Total April February Employment

1 Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting 9,905 10,019 0.72 8,420 2 Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation 12,411 19,102 0.80 15,090

3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Transportation and Warehousing 7,685 8,586 0.85 8,253 Accommodation and Food Services 34,051 69,805 0.88 54,855 Retail Trade 63,003 75,432 0.93 70,805 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 11,219 13,123 0.93 12,031 Professional and Technical Services 22,107 23,088 0.95 22,861 Utilities 1,139 1,179 0.95 1,164 Administrative and Waste Services 27,087 29,771 0.95 29,239 Health Care and Social Assistance 54,107 60,677 0.97 58,190

11 Manufacturing

11,750 12,579 0.97 12,415 12 Management of Companies and Enterprises 2,728 3,125 0.97 2,790 13 Wholesale Trade 11,819 12,279 0.98 12,145

14 Construction 51,198 54,684 0.99 54,101

15 Finance and Insurance 11,511 11,670 0.99 11,614

16 17 Educational Services Information

4,094 5,097 1.00 4,538 3,965 4,566 1.01 4,136 18 Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction 379 372 1.05 Source: Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, Bureau of Labor Statistics 382

Employment Ranking

12 7 13 3 1 10 6 17 5 2 8 16 9 4 11 14 15 18

Charlotte County

Table 3-9 shows the industries with the most fluctuation in employment between February and April in Charlotte County. The agriculture industry had the highest seasonal fluctuation between February and April, followed by the transportation industry, arts, entertainment, and recreation industry, accommodation and food services industry, and professional and technical services industry. The industries with the highest fluctuations also represented sectors with large employment numbers, as seven of the top 10 industries with the highest seasonal fluctuations also represent the top 10 largest industries for the county.

Table 3-9: Seasonal Fluctuation by Industry

Charlotte County - 2020 Employment Apr/Feb Ranking Industry

April February Ratio

1 Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting 402 520 0.63

Total Employment 366

2 3 Transportation and Warehousing

1,028 1,113 0.87 1,122 Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation 856 1,375 0.89 1,174

4 5 Accommodation and Food Services 3,713 6,902 0.90 5,628 Professional and Technical Services 1,821 1,797 0.93 1,869

6 7 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing Retail Trade 957 1,150 0.93 1,037 8,516 9,757 0.94 9,417

8

Administrative and Waste Services 1,970 2,286 0.94 2,171 9 Management of Companies and Enterprises 78 76 0.95 79

10 11 Manufacturing Health Care and Social Assistance 734 764 0.96

758 8,777 9,606 0.96 9,250

12 13

Construction Wholesale Trade 4,069 4,323 0.96 4,314 714 765 0.99 753

14 Utilities 56 59 1.02 60

15 Finance and Insurance

1,062 1,058 1.03 1,059 16 Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction 55 53 1.03 17 Educational Services 143 201 1.05 64 196

18 Information 274 364 1.05 313

Source: Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, Bureau of Labor Statistics

Employment Ranking

13 8 7 3 6 10 1 5 16 11 2 4 12 18 9 17 15 14

Table 3-10 shows the industries with the most fluctuation in employment between February and April in Collier County. The agriculture industry had the highest seasonal fluctuation between February and April, followed by the arts, entertainment, and recreation industry, transportation industry, accommodation and food services industry, and mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction industry. The industries with the highest fluctuations also represented sectors with large employment numbers, as five of the top 10 industries with the highest seasonal fluctuations also represent the top 10 largest industries for the county.

Table 3-10: Seasonal Fluctuation by Industry

Collier County - 2020 Employment Apr/Feb Ranking Industry

Ratio

Total April February Employment

1 Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting 3,522 3,765 0.57 2,830 2 Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation 6,076 8,067 0.74 6,587

3 4 Transportation and Warehousing

1,612 1,947 0.78 1,828 Accommodation and Food Services 11,161 24,434 0.86 18,632 5 Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction 16 29 0.92 25

6 Retail Trade 18,463 23,048 0.92 20,867

7 8

Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 3,620 4,365 0.93 4,064 Professional and Technical Services 5,831 6,058 0.93 6,083 9 Management of Companies and Enterprises 330 381 0.93 385 10 Health Care and Social Assistance 19,065 21,367 0.97 20,431

11 12 13 Administrative and Waste Services 9,122 9,824 0.98 9,879 Manufacturing Wholesale Trade 4,571 4,810 0.98 4,811 4,036 4,097 0.99 4,106

14 15 Construction Utilities 15,739 17,092 0.99 16,856 199 210 0.99 199

16 17 18 Finance and Insurance Educational Services Information

4,162 4,240 1.00 4,210 1,708 2,185 1.00 1,854 1,131 1,319 1.02 1,176 Source: Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, Bureau of Labor Statistics

Employment Ranking

12 6 14 3 18 1 11 7 16 2 5 8 10 4 17 9 13 15

Lee County

Table 3-11 shows the industries with the most fluctuation in employment between February and April in Lee County. The agriculture industry had the highest seasonal fluctuation from February to April, followed by the arts, entertainment, and recreation industry, transportation and warehousing industry, accommodation and food services industry, and retail trade industry. The industries with the highest fluctuations also represented sectors with large employment numbers, as seven of the top 10 industries with the highest seasonal fluctuations also represent the top 10 largest industries for the county.

Table 3-11: Seasonal Fluctuation by Industry

Lee County - 2020 Employment Apr/Feb Ranking Industry

Ratio

Total April February Employment

1 Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting 1,843 1,695 0.78 1,440 2 Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation 5,431 9,605 0.84 7,280

3 4 5 6 Transportation and Warehousing

4,793 5,320 0.86 5,092 Accommodation and Food Services 18,325 37,349 0.88 29,559 Retail Trade Utilities 34,379 40,980 0.93 38,835 805 828 0.93 828

7 8 9 10 11 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 6,534 7,489 0.94 6,814 Administrative and Waste Services 15,514 17,083 0.94 16,644 Professional and Technical Services 14,092 14,856 0.96 14,539 Manufacturing 5,936 6,494 0.96 6,329 Health Care and Social Assistance 25,540 28,848 0.97 27,735

12 Wholesale Trade

6,847 7,181 0.97 7,061 13 Management of Companies and Enterprises 2,320 2,668 0.98 2,326 14 Finance and Insurance 6,062 6,142 0.98 6,118

15 Construction 30,384 32,222 0.99 31,882

16 17 Educational Services Information

2,158 2,623 0.99 2,402 2,496 2,816 1.00 2,582 18 Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction 282 267 1.09 268 Source: Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, Bureau of Labor Statistics

Employment Ranking

16 7 12 3 1 17 9 5 6 10 4 8 15 11 2 14 13 18