Tallahassee Reports has published a number of articles reporting on the performance of the local economy. There are the monthly employment reports, with the most recent showing a two-month loss of 3,200 jobs.
There is the report on per capita income , which shows that from 2011 to 2013 per capita income growth has been negative in Leon County and ranks 66 out 67 Florida counties.
Now comes a national report published by economists at CareerBuilder that shows Tallahassee rates as the third worst labor market out of 150 markets evaluated.
The methodology used to develop the Labor Market Index is comprehensive. The index combines 11 historical, current, and leading indicators and groups them in four categories:
- Overall employment change over four time periods (2001-2014, 2010-2014, 2013-2014, 2014-2020), with the two most recent time periods weighted more heavily in the index.
- Quality employment change over the same four periods; this category includes growth in driver industries and in growing occupations that pay at or above each metro’s living wage for two adults, one child.
- The change in unique (or de-duplicated) job postings from May 2014 to October 2014.
- Each metro’s unemployment rate.
Tallahassee ranks 131 in the employment change category and 149 in the quality employment change category. These rankings result in a combined ranking of 148 for Tallahassee out the 150 markets evaluated.
Click on the chart below to see the bottom 15 cities.
Four of the top 22 metros are in Florida, led by Port St. Lucie—a metro that ranks No. 7 in quality employment thanks to growth in well-paying, concentrated industries like offices of physicians and new car dealers. However, Florida also has three of the bottom 10 metros among the largest 150: Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville (last at No. 150), Tallahassee (No. 148), and Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent (No. 143).
Other low-tier Florida metros include Ocala (No. 130), Lakeland-Winter Haven (No. 127), Jacksonville (No. 103), and Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormand Beach (No. 100).
Florida’s largest metros—Miami, Orlando, and Tampa—fall in the middle of the ranking, between Nos. 70 and 84.
The full report with city rankings can be read here.
National Report Rates Tallahassee as Third Worst Labor Market in US added by Staff on
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Wow! And Tallahassee has been reported to be one of the highest educated cities in Florida. Seems to show just what our elected officials are not doing for the citizens of Tallahassee. It is time we get out and vote for people that do not have their own interest as their priority.
I wonder how “family friendly” the top cities rate their local businesses.
Come on Mayor Gillum, stop pushing your PFAW (Foundation) agenda and help get the Tallahassee economy headed in the other direction. 3rd worse city….embarrassing. BTW, that’s on your watch for how many years now?
I do not understand what they could be measuring. If the measurements and jobs we want are part-time jobs, nursing and home health care then this is the report to go to for seeing where to move. North Port and Ft. Myers Florida here we come.
I guess all those Chamber of Commerce junkets to Amelia Island and Sandestin are paying off, — NOT!
Wow the Tallahassee Democrat/Chamber of Commerce would never publish this!