The unemployment rate across the Treasure Coast fell to 5% in September, down from 5.3% in August but above the 4.9% rate recorded a year earlier, according to CareerSource Research Coast’s September 2026 employment report.
The report covers Martin, St. Lucie and Indian River counties. The region’s unemployment rate remained 0.8 percentage points above Florida’s rate of 4.2%.
The regional labor force totaled 309,296 people, down 1,469, or 0.5%, from September 2025. The region had 15,334 unemployed residents, according to the report.
Unemployment rates declined in all three counties from August to September. Indian River County recorded a 5.2% rate, compared with 5.6% the previous month. St. Lucie County’s rate fell to 5% from 5.3%, while Martin County’s rate declined to 4.6% from 4.9%.
Martin County’s September rate was unchanged from a year earlier. Rates in St. Lucie and Indian River counties were each 0.1 percentage point higher than in September 2025.
The U.S. unemployment rate was 4% in September, down from 4.3% in August and September 2025, according to the report.
Nonagricultural employment in the combined CareerSource Research Coast metro areas reached 236,500 jobs in September, an increase of 600 jobs, or 0.3%, from a year earlier.
Education and health services recorded the largest year-over-year gain, adding 1,000 jobs. Leisure and hospitality added 400 jobs, while government and manufacturing each gained 100 jobs. Trade, transportation and utilities also added 100 jobs.
Those gains were offset by losses in several industries. Professional and business services shed 600 jobs, financial activities lost 200 jobs, and mining, logging and construction declined by 200 jobs. Other services lost 100 jobs, while information employment was unchanged.
The Port St. Lucie metropolitan statistical area had 177,600 nonagricultural jobs in September, up 500 jobs, or 0.3%, from a year earlier.
Information was the fastest-growing industry in the metro area, with employment increasing by 100 jobs, or 7.7%. Leisure and hospitality grew by 2.4%, manufacturing by 1.2%, and trade, transportation and utilities by 0.8%. Government employment increased by 0.5%.
Education and health services added 800 jobs, while leisure and hospitality gained 500 jobs. Trade, transportation and utilities added 300 jobs, and manufacturing, information and government each gained 100 jobs.
Professional and business services recorded the largest loss, shedding 800 jobs. Mining, logging and construction lost 300 jobs, while financial activities and other services each declined by 100 jobs.
The report said the Port St. Lucie metro area had the highest annual job growth among Florida metro areas in the information industry and the third-fastest growth rate in trade, transportation and utilities.
The Sebastian-Vero Beach metro area recorded 58,900 nonagricultural jobs in September, an increase of 100 jobs, or 0.2%, from a year earlier.
Professional and business services employment grew by 2.9%, while mining, logging and construction increased by 2%. The metro area ranked second statewide for annual job growth in mining, logging and construction.
Professional and business services added 200 jobs, as did education and health services. Mining, logging and construction gained 100 jobs.
Employment declined by 100 jobs in trade, transportation and utilities and by 100 jobs in information. Leisure and hospitality also lost 100 jobs. Employment in financial activities, government, manufacturing and other services remained unchanged over the year.
The employment report is based on data from the Florida Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Workforce Statistics and Economic Research. The agency notes that the data are subject to revision.