St. Johns County's jobless rate was 4.7% in August, up from 4.3% a year earlier and above the U.S. rate of 4.3%. About 562 more residents were out of work.
St. Johns County’s unemployment rate was 4.7% in August, up from 4.3% in August 2025. About 7,384 county residents were out of work and looking for a job, 562 more than a year earlier.
The figures are the preliminary August estimates from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Local Area Unemployment Statistics program. The BLS does not publish a separate rate for Ponte Vedra Beach, so the county figure is the closest official measure. The numbers are not seasonally adjusted, so the fair comparison is with the same month a year earlier.
A year ago, the county’s rate was below the national rate. Now it is above it. In August 2025, St. Johns County was at 4.3% and the United States at 4.5%. In August 2026 the county was at 4.7% and the U.S. rate on the same basis was 4.3%.
St. Johns County against its neighbors
| Area | August 2026 | August 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Nassau County | 4.6% | 4.2% |
| St. Johns County | 4.7% | 4.3% |
| Clay County | 4.7% | 4.5% |
| Duval County | 4.9% | 4.5% |
| Flagler County | 5.5% | 5.2% |
| Putnam County | 5.6% | 5.2% |
| Florida | 4.6% | 4.3% |
| United States | 4.3% | 4.5% |
All rates are not seasonally adjusted. Sources: BLS series for Nassau County, Clay County, Duval County, Flagler County, Putnam County, Florida and the United States.
Every county in the group rose from a year earlier. St. Johns County’s rise of 0.4 points matched Duval, Nassau and Putnam counties. Duval County, home to Jacksonville Beach and Jacksonville, was at 4.9%. Of Florida’s 67 counties, 15 had a lower rate than St. Johns County in August. Clay County tied it at 4.7%. Miami-Dade County was lowest at 2.7%.
The numbers behind the rate
In St. Johns County in August, according to the BLS:
- 157,452 people were in the labor force, down from 158,147 a year earlier.
- 150,068 people had jobs, down from 151,325.
- 7,384 people were unemployed, up from 6,822.
The labor force counts residents who have a job or are looking for one. The unemployment rate is the share of the labor force without a job and looking for one. These are counts of county residents, wherever they work.
The past year, month by month
The county’s rate moved between 4.1% and 5.1% over the past 14 months. It peaked at 5.1% in January.
| Month | St. Johns County rate |
|---|---|
| July 2025 | 4.1% |
| August 2025 | 4.3% |
| September 2025 | 4.2% |
| October 2025 | not published |
| November 2025 | 5.0% |
| December 2025 | 4.5% |
| January 2026 | 5.1% |
| February 2026 | 5.0% |
| March 2026 | 4.6% |
| April 2026 | 4.8% |
| May 2026 | 4.6% |
| June 2026 | 4.7% |
| July 2026 | 4.8% |
| August 2026 | 4.7% (preliminary) |
Because the figures are not seasonally adjusted, a change from one month to the next can reflect the season, not a change in the job market. The BLS published no October 2025 figure for the county.
What it means for you
- Looking for work: Florida’s free job listings are on Employ Florida.
- Lost a job: Reemployment assistance claims are filed with FloridaCommerce.
- The figure is an estimate. August is preliminary, and the BLS revises county figures when the next month is published.
- Home values and taxes: see our pages on home prices and property taxes in Ponte Vedra Beach.
We report the county figure each month when the BLS publishes it.
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